Breaking Down His Walls
by FabulousMurder
Summary: Talon gets stuck with babysitting duty, watching over Ezreal's expedition. Could this chance encounter lead to something more or is Ezreal setting himself up to be let down? Talon/Ezreal
1. Chapter 1

Ezreal couldn't bring himself to pay much attention to diplomatic meetings. They were just so long and boring and they hardly ever included him or his expertise anyway. Truth to be told, he wasn't even sure why he kept getting invited to them. If he was needed, he was always contactable through the Arcanum Majoris and he was pretty much always available to explore or to research an artefact that had been found. Nonetheless here he was at the diplomatic meeting of all the city-states of Valoran.

"Demacia will not stand by and allow that to happen!" Jarvan stood up abruptly, shaking Ezreal from his reverie, "No matter the circumstances senseless killing is not the answer."

Swain looked amused, "These bandits are harming Demacian travellers as well. So far, Demacia has done nothing while they do so." His gruff voice had a hint of laughter in it, "Noxus simply wants to do _something_. More than can be said for Demacia, I suppose."

"We must apprehend them, not engage them!" Garen stood by Jarvan's decision. His eyes shone with anger as he spoke, "What if they are a part of a larger organization? We would be losing valuable information."

"Then we'll kill them too," Katarina countered, "Demacia's efforts at apprehending the bandits have turned up nothing. It is time to change tactics."

Ezreal zoned back out quickly. He was never of use to Caitlyn and Jayce during these diplomatic meetings as he didn't know or care much for politics and while he had Piltover's best interests in mind, he wasn't as quick to understand how to reach those goals in agreements with other city-states.

He looked around, some other attendees looked as bored and out of it as he did. Lux looked like she was dying inside.

Ezreal looked away from her quickly, the pain of their breakup still hurt in his chest when he saw or tried to interact with her. It was so unfair and he didn't know how to react when it happened. He'd just gone home and cried it out. He still didn't know how to act around Lux. She treated him kindly and though it was not the same as when they were together, that kindness hurt more than the sharpest contempt could.

"...ruin found in the Noxian badlands."

Ezreal instantly tuned back into the conversation. He looked around trying to figure out who had spoken. This type of conversation almost always included him and was so rare to hear in these diplomatic meetings that it was exciting for Ezreal to hear that he would be needed.

"We will send Ezreal to explore it like always, will we not?" Lux asked matter-of-factly. It seemed she wanted to get this conversation over with as fast as possible so that bigger issues could be addressed. Despite her clear disinterest, she was at least listening.

"Noxus takes issue with this idea." Swain responded flatly. Ezreal was shocked. He was always the one to explore new areas and research old weaponry to find out if it was magical. It was his job and Swain took issue with it?

"I don't understand." Jarvan said, clearly confused by the sudden shift in opinion. Swain laughed.

"We all know how _close_ young Ezreal is to Demacia's nobility. It would be foolish to send him alone when he could be feeding Noxus's secrets to Demacia." Swain explained. Jarvan stood up abruptly again.

Ezreal felt a pang of sadness.

" _Ezreal I...heard some concerning rumours." Lux sat across from Ezreal in a small cafe. Ezreal looked at her quizzically but a part of him knew exactly what she was going to say. "I've heard that you...have slept with men?" She sounded confused and hurt._

" _I…" Ezreal didn't know how to respond. He could lie, but the truth would come out sooner or later. It wasn't like it was supposed to be some secret. "...I have."_

" _Why wouldn't you tell me that?" Lux hissed, "So that I could make an informed decision on dating you!"_

 _Ezreal was taken aback. He expected this, honestly, but he'd thought he could get away with his little fantasy for just a while longer._

" _I...I don't know." He said, hanging his head slightly, "I'm sorry."_

" _I can't deal with this." Lux admitted, "You know such acts are considered sinful in my religion."_

" _Who told you?" Ezreal asked. Not many people knew about his bisexuality, he wanted to know who had gone and outed him._

" _I'm not telling you." Lux huffed, "They protected me, as much as it hurts, and I will not punish them for that. I can't do this. We're through."_

Ezreal shook his head. He needed to stop thinking so deeply about it at every moment. As much as it hurt it was already over and there was nothing he could do to change that.

"Demacia would never-"

"Those are just words to me." Swain cut him off, "Meaningless words."

Katarina stood up, clearly intending to mediate the two leaders, "Noxus would like to send a Noxian chaperone with Ezreal. Just to be safe, of course."

Jarvan looked offended, very offended, but a chaperone wouldn't hurt the exploration at all so long as they stayed out of his way. They may even be helpful as a second set of eyes.

"If that is what Noxus desires. Who will be sent?" Jarvan relented reluctantly. Katarina smiled, happy that her idea had gone over so easily and without another shouting match.

"Noxus will send Talon Du'Couteau." Swain said, happily. Talon immediately jumped into the conversation for the first time, ever, it seemed to Ezreal.

"Me? When was this decided?" He spat. He sat forward, a flash of anger crossing his face. Katarina tut tutted him quietly.

"I'm going to Demacia for trade negotiations and Darius is going to Zaun. You're the only one left to go!" She said, exasperated by his rough and impolite behavior.

"...Fine." Talon calmed down, seeing that he had no choice. There was no reason to make a scene over something he wasn't going to get a choice in either way. Talon leaned back into his chair, content to return to just listening to the various negotiations.

Ezreal breathed a sigh of relief. He would get to go on this exploration! He would get to be the one to discover the secrets of this ruin! He would have to do it with Talon in tow but Talon seemed like he wouldn't be too much trouble. So much for a second set of eyes though.

Talon seemed calm as the meeting progressed. But Ezreal could tell he was angry about being sent off to the middle of bumfuck nowhere with someone he didn't even like and who, honestly, didn't really like him.

Ezreal wasn't exactly stoked to be sent into the middle of nowhere with a Noxian either. He admitted he had some preconceived notions about Noxus and its people. He just didn't feel comfortable alone with them. Maybe that was wrong, but they were so...violent.

Soon enough all the big issues had been tackled to everyone's satisfaction, or at least tried to have been tackled. The bandits were still a problem no one could agree on with about a 50/50 vote on killing them or apprehending them.

Everyone began to get up and leave the room as the meeting came to a close. It felt like no one wanted to be there but yet everyone felt the need to stay and continue to talk about the issues at hand.

It was getting late and everyone wanted to return to their homes and sleep. Ezreal had other plans, though. He was to leave in three days for Noxus where he would rendezvous with Talon and they would explore this new ruin together.

He arrived home with Caitlyn and the two went their separate ways to their rooms quietly. Taking care of Ezreal's home had been too much for Caitlyn and she'd asked him to move in with her. Ezreal was barely home anyway so it made no difference to him. Caitlyn had actually gotten frustrated with him being home all the time after Lux had broken up with him.

He collapsed into bed, not even bothering to change his clothes. He had to start getting things ready for the expedition but right now he just wanted to sleep. Across the hall, Caitlyn's lights flicked out. Ezreal slowly got out of bed and closed his door.

He pulled his travelling backpack out of his closet. He wasn't sure why he kept putting it away when he would only take it out again to go adventure somewhere on Valoran.

Ezreal placed the backpack on the floor and opened it up. It was huge with lots of extra pockets and storage space outside of the main backpack. He used it for all of his travels. He had gotten the bag when he first started adventuring and dread the day it would have to be replaced.

Some questioned why he didn't use a magic bag that gave him more space but truthfully he just loved the bag he used so much he didn't want to give it up yet.

Ezreal took some blankets out of his closet, blankets he used for traveling, and began to roll them up tightly. He tied them together with a bit of fine rope and stuffed them down into the bag. The blankets were no longer soft but still served their purpose well. Knowing how cold it could get in any badlands it was important to be prepared.

A plastic tarp was the next thing he packed. It could help shield his work from the elements or provide a waterproof layer for his tent if necessary. He rolled it up tightly and neatly placed it in the corner of his bag with the blankets.

Ezreal grabbed his headlamp. It was going to be necessary when exploring a ruin to have something to light the way as they walked and discovered. He tucked it into the bag next to his blankets and tarp.

He leaned back, staring at his ceiling. Travelling with Talon? It sounded interesting at least. He didn't seem like the particularly talkative type nor did he seem like someone particularly interested in the artefacts of old. He was simply a warm body that could keep an eye on him and maybe even kill him if he were to misstep.

A shudder ran down Ezreal's spine as he considered the possibility of Talon just killing him on their expedition. Maybe Swain saw him as a threat now and wanted him dead and _that_ was why Talon was assigned to this expedition.

He shook his head and clapped himself on the face lightly. There was no reason to think badly of the intentions of a nation that he truthfully didn't spend a whole lot of time learning about. There was nothing to suggest that Swain wanted him dead; he was just being...somewhat discriminatory. Noxians may not be popular but they had never done anything bad to him before. Why would they start now?

He sighed softly, running his hands through his hair. He had to prepare for this expedition. He was leaving soon and it was important to be properly prepared.

Ezreal stuffed a few more things in his backpack. A pocket knife, a first aid kit, all of his tools for handling artefacts, and a journal were all among the things he strategically placed in his backpack. He would have to carry a second bag of preserved foods, but it was a short trip so there was no need to bring too much.

He would go get preserved foods tomorrow, he decided, and yawned. With that, he peeled of his clothes. He threw his clothes into the pile on the floor. He wasn't going to be wearing his nice clothes for at least another month so there was no need to wash them any time soon.

Ezreal stretched and fell back into bed. He felt lighter and more relaxed without the heavy clothes he wore to diplomatic meetings on. His skin breathed in a sigh of relief at the release. The sheets felt soft and silky against his bare skin and sleep felt imminent.

He let his eyes slip closed. Almost instantly, he was transported to a soft field. The grass beneath his bare feet felt lovely and the weather was perfect. He sat down in the grass, letting each blade kiss his skin.

Ezreal relaxed back into the grass. He felt so calm and serene in his dream land. Some nights it was a beach, other nights a forest, but a simple field was enough to keep him happy. He looked up a the sky of his dreams. A few puffy clouds dotted the blue sky.

He sighed happily as he stared at the clouds. His dream would end soon but he wanted to enjoy the time he had left. He watched as the clouds passed by peacefully. If only real life could be this gentle all the time.

Ezreal blinked awake as light washed over his face. His room was perfectly faced so that the morning sun streamed through his windows, waking him every day he spent at home. He squinted his eyes a bit and pulled the covers up over his head. He wanted to sleep more but he knew he had things to do today.

He pushed the covers off and rolled out of bed almost literally. He stood up and stretched his body. A soft moan escaped him as he arched his back, lifting his arms up over his head. He rocked back and forth on his feet, trying in a sleepy haze to set his sights on his closet.

He found it and stumbled through the mess on the floor in the general direction of his clothes. He pulled a t-shirt and some jeans out from the disaster he called his closet. He looked at them quizzically. It didn't take long for him to reason that he didn't care if they matched.

He pulled the t-shirt over his head and then stepped into the jeans. He yawned, looking at himself in the long mirror Caitlyn had given him. She would probably have words about his choice of clothes or his bedhead, but neither of those things were of particular concern.

Ezreal combed his fingers through his hair. He was not really taking care of any of the knots in his hair, but called it successful anyway as his bedhead was tamed slightly. It would be a little while before any of the shops would open but it wasn't terrible to be up early.

Satisfied with his "carefree" appearance, he grabbed his wallet, keys, and shopping bag and headed out. He stepped out onto the streets of Piltover with a little spring in his step.

His first stop was a little cafe in an alley. Nowhere else could he get such good tea for only a few coins. He sat down at a small table in a corner and waited for the server to bring him his tea.

It didn't take long and the first sip tasted like heaven in a cup. The tea was delicious as always and slid down his throat so smoothly. It was the perfect temperature and just so wonderful.

After finishing his tea, Ezreal made his way out of the cafe. It was about time for most stores to start opening and he had to make his way over to the shop that sold foods to travelers.

The crowds that usually filled Piltover's streets had started to gather. Ezreal made his way through the crowd almost daintily, careful not to walk into anyone else.

He briskly walked down the streets of Piltover, taking in the familiar faint smell of smog. Industrialization had brought some unpleasant side effects but was an overall good look for Piltover.

Ezreal pushed the door to the shop open, smiling brightly.

"Hi, Ezreal. What can I get for you today?" The clerk asked, smiling back just as brightly. He was a regular here and they were always very kind to him. They even gave him discounts sometimes as a repeat customer.

"Uh," Ezreal thought for a second, "How about some preserved fruits, bread, peanut butter, and granola?" It was short trip so he didn't need much food for it.

The clerk shuffled around behind the counter picking things off of shelves. She began handing the things she was holding to Ezreal. She plucked a bag out from under the counter and filled it up with granola.

"Is this good?" She asked, holding up the bag. It was about half full with granola and, given the large size of the bag, it was a lot of granola.

"Yeah, that's fine." Ezreal held up a big thumbs up and started putting things away in his shopping bag. He would attach a food bag to his regular backpack when he got home, or maybe even just carry the shopping bag if he felt lazy enough.

Satisfied with his haul, Ezreal headed out of the shop and towards home. He wanted to relax before leaving on this expedition. He walked home, back through the familiar streets, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city.

He made it back home in record time and headed to his room. He pulled a smaller bag out of the closet and stuffed the food into it. He tied the bag to his main backpack and smiled at his handiwork. He would have no trouble on this expedition, just like always, he reassured himself.

He reclined onto his bed with a book. He had to make his way to Noxus the next day and get through their very harsh border policies, so he might as well relax while he still could. Talon was supposed to be at the border to collect him but he might just not show up and leave Ezreal on his own in a foreign city-state. That seemed like something he might do just for fun.

Ezreal shook the thoughts out of his head and tried to focus on his reading. He was determined to take some time to himself before leaving. He wiggled around in bed, trying to find the most comfortable way to sit and eventually he relaxed into his mountain of pillows for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Ezreal made his way to the front of the line at the Noxian border. Everyone around him was so rough looking that it made him anxious to even be a part of the line. Mostly everyone was a Noxian citizen or a merchant familiar with Noxus, though, so the line was moving relatively quickly.

Ezreal looked around anxiously as he approached the guard. There was no sign of Talon. Maybe he really did leave him to fend for himself in an unfamiliar place. Ezreal took his bag off of his back and placed it on the table for inspection. The guard looked him up and down. He definitely did not fit in with the crowd.

"State your name and intention." The guard growled as he started to dig through Ezreal's bag. Ezreal jumped a little as he spoke, feeling frankly quite out of his element. The guard looked down at Ezreal

"E-Ezreal Lymere. I'm...I'm here from the Arcanum Majoris-" He started to speak shakily but a familiar figure approached quickly.

"Don't worry about this one." Talon's voice cut through Ezreal's like a knife, "He's with me." Talon stared down at Ezreal with an almost pitying look. Ezreal felt nervous and pathetic, having to be saved by Talon at the border.

Talon wasn't dressed in his usual blue hood. Ezreal supposed it was because they were meeting under different circumstances, but Talon dressed somewhat boringly in a brown hood and plain black clothes.

"Oh, of course, sir." The guard said and handed Ezreal's things back to him. Ezreal collected his things and walked over to where Talon was standing. Talon immediately turned on his heel and began to walk away.

Ezreal followed after Talon. The man was completely silent as they walked together towards the city.

"Why'd he call you 'sir'?" Ezreal asked, trying to fill what felt, to him, like an awkward silence. Talon glanced over at Ezreal. His eyes said 'shut the fuck up' and Ezreal immediately closed his mouth.

"I have some pull around here." Talon said, letting his eyes drift back to the road before them. From what Ezreal knew, that was a bit of an understatement. Talon attended diplomatic meetings, argued with Garen, the works. There was no way he only had 'some pull'.

Ezreal knew better than to try and interact with him again. Talon clearly wanted nothing to do with him, but it was hard for Ezreal to just not interact with others. Was this what their expedition was going to be like? Being alone was easier than feeling alone with someone standing right next to him.

He followed behind Talon closely. He didn't want to get lost in an unfamiliar place. It was getting dark and knowing people like Talon and Katarina roamed the city, there was no way it was safe at night.

"Wear a hood in the city," Talon said suddenly, throwing a brown cloak at Ezreal. "You stand out and people are staring. That's never good."

Ezreal shuddered, thinking about whatever _Talon_ of all people thought was 'not good'. He wrapped the cloak around his body loosely, making sure the hood covered his hair. People did seem to take an unusual interest in him and if Talon thought that was bad it probably meant something _really_ bad.

Ezreal could feel the stares on him, even with the cloak on, and it made him feel uncomfortable. He wanted to ask Talon for help but he knew the older man wouldn't want anything to do with helping him.

"We're here." Talon stopped abruptly and put his hand on the door of a two floor building. "This is where you'll stay for tonight. We leave tomorrow."

Talon brought Ezreal inside. The inn keep looked them up and down.

"This is him, Hawthorne." Talon said to the keep quietly. The keep looked surprised, taken aback even.

"Oh I thought it was just another-" Hawthorne started but Talon shushed him, "Right, right. Of course, Talon."

Ezreal raised an eyebrow at Talon's back. He was on a _first name basis_ with an inn keep? That seemed strange. For someone in Talon's position to be on a first name basis with an inn keep, he'd have to be visiting this inn a lot.

Suddenly it clicked in Ezreal's mind and he covered his mouth, blushing with shame. Of course Talon would be like that. Getting lots of women was the kind of use of his power that seemed in character for him. He didn't feel he looked like a woman, though, so what was all the fuss about?

Hawthorne noticed the look on Ezreal's face and winked at him as he was handing Talon a key. Talon sighed and turned to Ezreal.

"Here's the key to your room. I'll be back to get you at 7." Talon turned on his heel again and started to leave.

Ezreal's eyes were wide like saucers. Talon was just going to leave him here? Alone? In Noxus? Looking very unusual in a crowd? What if he got hurt? What if someone broke into his room? All of these things seemed liable to happen in such a dangerous place.

"You're not gonna stay with me?" Ezreal squeaked out. Talon stopped and looked back at him with an almost disgusted look on his face.

"Stay? With you? Of course not!" Talon spat. Ezreal felt small, so very small. Talon was going to leave him to _die_ in Noxus while he slept, "No one is going to break into an inn to kill you."

Hawthorne looked equally shocked at the statement. Ezreal figured it was just customary for people traveling together to stay together, but Talon left the inn anyway. Ezreal hugged the cloak Talon had given him around his body. He felt so scared, alone in a foreign nation that felt like a war zone even at the best of times.

"You'll be fine. Go sleep." Hawthorne said, pointing Ezreal down the hall. He probably shouldn't loiter in the front of an inn, so that was a pretty good call. Ezreal walked down the hallway. He checked the number on the key fob quickly. 21 meant the room was on the second floor, right?

He climbed the stairs slowly and glanced around the corner for any dangerous folks in the hallway. The hallway was clear so he proceeded down it looking at the door numbers.

Door 21 was on the other side of the hallway. Ezreal pushed it open. The room was very plain. Just a bed a nightstand and bathroom. After his long trip, the bed looked very comfy though.

A deep yawn alerted Ezreal to how tired he was from just traveling to Noxus and he put his things down on the floor. He decided to shower. It would be a few days before he got a proper shower so now was the best time to enjoy it.

He stripped naked. The cool night air touched his skin and with a shiver he headed into the bathroom. The bathroom was as plain as the rest of the room with just a small shower a toilet and a sink.

Ezreal turned the water on. It was cold and it took so long to heat up that Ezreal wondered if maybe there was no hot water here at all. As he waited for the water to heat up, Ezreal contemplated life.

His life was...less than ideal. He was freshly single through no one's fault but his own. His ex was bitter about it. She'd made that clear when she completely snubbed him at the most recent diplomatic meeting. To top it all off, he'd have to see his bitter ex all the time because they were both diplomats. Is this what people meant when they said not to mix business and pleasure?

Ezreal scoffed. He'd never find himself in another relationship with another diplomat, that was for sure. He had learned his lesson, he told himself. But still, he missed Lux. A great diplomat, maybe not. But she was a _fantastic_ cheerleader. Being in her good graces had done wonders for his self esteem but it seemed it had all been an illusion of the relationship. He found himself doubting things he'd never have doubted while they were together. Without the safety of knowing she was in his corner, he found doubt in himself once more.

Finally the water was warm enough to shower in and Ezreal stepped into the shallow tub gingerly. The warm water washed over his body as if it were washing his sins away. He closed his eyes, taking in the warmth.

He searched the side of the tub until he found a little travel shampoo that he'd brought with him. He squeezed the soap into his hand and worked up a lather.

As much as he thought he'd moved on, it was clear the whole thing was still a very fresh wound for him. He cursed his own heart for being so frail and getting so attached to others. He had to come to terms with the fact that Lux was no longer his girlfriend and he didn't know how to do that just yet.

He worked the soap through his hair, massaging his scalp as he went. He tilted his head back and let the soap rinse out down the drain. He told himself that his feelings for Lux would be like the soap; they would wash away and leave him feeling clean. He knew it wasn't that easy but the mental image helped clear his head as he stepped out of the shower.

Ezreal picked up the towel that was left for him on the sink and wrapped the fluffy white cloth around his body. The soft white towel protected him from the evil that lurked the streets of Noxus at night, he imagined.

He dried off and dressed in a shirt and some loose leather pants. He collapsed onto the bed, freezing momentarily when the bed creaked loudly under his weight. He closed his eyes ready for sleep to take him, and soon he was snoring.

His dream was very plain. He was standing in a bright, sunny field. But this time he felt he was waiting for someone. He looked around, expectantly, but no one was there just yet.

Not long after he'd started to wonder if maybe his gut feeling was wrong, he heard foot steps coming from behind him. He spun around and found himself face to face with Lux. His heart jumped into his throat.

"Lux..." He managed to stammer out. She stared up at him, eyes boring holes in his skull. "Look, I didn't mean for everything to turn out with way it did." He said, holding his hands up in defeat, "I wouldn't ever want to hurt you."

"You're a _liar_." Lux hissed, "If you thought that you wouldn't have lied to me." Ezreal felt his heart sink from his throat into his stomach.

"I know...you're right...I shouldn't have lied about...about my past." He hung his head. His chest hurt like his heart was about to explode. Even in his dreams, Lux was angry with him. He stared down at his feet as Lux continued to stare through him angrily. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"No. Never." Lux's voice took on an even harsher tone than it had before. "I'll never forgive you, Ezreal." She snapped.

Ezreal jolted awake, sitting up abruptly. His chest still hurt as if Lux were standing in front of his bed, but she was gone. In person she barely spared him a glance, let alone a conversation or forgiveness for his wrong.

Ezreal looked at the clock. It was almost time to meet Talon. He swung his legs out of the bed and stood up, stretching as he did. He put his jacket back on and picked up his backpack. He went downstairs and saw Hawthorne still sitting at his post.

"Good morning! We have breakfast ready in the restaurant." Hawthorne greeted him, smiling brightly, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I slept fine," Ezreal lied, "Did you even sleep?" He asked. Hawthorne just laughed at him.

"Of course! The night guy came and relieved me so I could sleep in my room!" Hawthorne relaxed back in his chair. Ezreal smiled back at Hawthorne and pushed open the door to the inn's restaurant. True to Hawthorne's word, food lined the perimeter of the room, buffet style. Plenty of people already sat in the restaurant enjoying their breakfasts.

Ezreal quickly got himself a plate with eggs, bacon, and toast as well as a cup of tea and sat down at a table. He shoveled food from his plate to his mouth in a somewhat barbaric fashion. It would be his last hot meal and as much as he loved living off of preserved fruits, nothing could beat a hot meal that you didn't have to make.

When he'd finished his meal, Ezreal walked back out into the hallway to wait for Talon. He didn't wait long, though, as Talon waltzed into the inn a few minutes early and stared at Ezreal, a bit surprised that the explorer was already there.

"We should go." Talon said flatly without any other sort of introduction or greeting. Ezreal nodded and followed Talon out of the inn.

It was a long trek through the forest to the Noxian badlands. Ezreal found himself, at times distracted by all that was around them to explore, very lost and alone in a dead looking forest. Everything was so dreary in Noxus, how did anyone survive, Ezreal wondered as he continued following Talon.

Talon walked forward, following the map he was given, paying no mind to whether or not Ezreal was even following behind him. A few times, he stopped to glance over his shoulder and found Ezreal staring in wonder at some random thing on the forest floor. Annoyed, he sighed and continued on, hoping only that the explorer was focused enough to follow him.

It was only a day's worth of travel to this ruin and he didn't want to spend any more time than was absolutely necessary with Ezreal. The other boy was so...enthusiastic and...outright strange at times. Talon would never understand his fascination with...pretty much everything, it seemed.

"Oh wow!" Ezreal's voice jolted Talon out of his reverie. "This plant is so rare; it's almost endangered! To think it grows here!" Ezreal was crouched down next to a small flower. His eyes shone with joy as he pointed to the flower.

"It's...I don't...care…" Talon stammered angrily, "Can we just keep moving? I'd like to reach our destination _today_." He snapped.

Ezreal righted himself almost instantly as he heard the urgency and anger in Talon's voice. He didn't want to mess with a cold-blooded assassin like Talon. Talon frightened him more than he could put into words but yet he had to rely on him for the duration of the trip. It was all very confusing.

"RIght...sorry…" Ezreal murmured and began following behind Talon closely. Talon glanced back at him, clearly irked by his very presence. Ezreal found himself trying to make himself seem small and unassuming.

In the distance, the sun was beginning to set when the forest opened up into a clearing. The soil changed from the rich forest soil to a drier clay type soil slowly as they kept walking forward. They had reached the Noxian badlands. As they kept walking, Ezreal found some tiling. He was about to point it out to Talon when Talon turned abruptly to following the tiling.

"It should be right up here." Talon said flatly. The tiling lead to a big arch that was surrounded by a number of broken down structures. Ezreal looked around, eyes full of wonder, at the structures that surrounded him.

Ezreal immediately ran over to some clay pots that were laying on the ground. The pottery was painted with dark swirls resembling a primitive looking galaxy.

"These pots here are painted with the same designs commonly seen during the Noxian Dark Ages," Ezreal started, a wide grin spreading across his face, "The galaxy design was a popular symbol for painters who sought to see...the lights...of space…" Ezreal looked over at Talon, who was staring at him with a deep scowl and quickly tried to recover what was left of the Noxian's patience, "Right...don't care…"

"I'm going to go set up camp." Talon said, glancing up at the setting sun. Ezreal nodded, and turned back to his pots. He placed his hand over the pots. HIs gauntlet glowed faintly as he searched the pots for any kind of magical reaction. He didn't find anything, but the pots alone were a great discovery because they were in near mint condition, bar some fading to the paint.

Ezreal continued on his search through the ruin, stopping at every pot and weapon to check for a magical reaction. The ruin itself was a treasure trove of old things that had remained untouched by man in centuries. But there didn't appear to be any magical items of note in the ruin.

It was starting to get dark and Ezreal started to wander back toward where Talon was setting up camp. Lost in a reverie, thinking about all the neat things he'd found, Ezreal tripped. He saw the ground rushing up at him, but he phased right through the solid earth and smacked face first into a flight of stairs.

Stairs? Stairs! There was _more_ to this ruin than met the eye! Ezreal jumped up, not even paying attention to the pain in his, well, everywhere, and ran to where Talon was setting up a campfire.

"I found...hidden stairs…in the ground" Ezreal panted. Talon looked up at him.

"Stairs?" Talon sad, sounding about as enthusiastic as a man about to be hanged, "Let me guess, we have to go down the stairs." Annoyance seeped out of every word Talon said.

"Yeah. There might be magical artefacts down there!" Ezreal enthused. He loved expeditions and took great pleasure when an expedition took an unexpected turn like this. Clearly, Talon was much more annoyed by the fact that the expedition would take longer, but it wasn't like he had a choice besides tagging along.

Talon glowered at Ezreal and took a loaf of bread out of his bag. He took a bite out of his bread angrily. He didn't want to spend _more_ time in the middle of nowhere with this _kid_. The very prospect of this journey taking days and days and days made him miserable. He had people on his hit list from Swain, he had drinks he had to drink, he had _a_ _life_.

Ezreal sat down next to the fire and took some preserved fruits out of his bag to snack on while he wrote down the day's discoveries in his journal. There wasn't much to write about today, but there would be things to write in the future and he'd already ascertained the general time period from which this ruin seemed to hail.

As he was writing excitedly, he felt sleep coming on quickly. Before he knew it, he couldn't keep his eyes open and he curled up with his journal and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Ezreal awoke with a start. He hadn't meant to fall asleep writing in his journal but it would seem exhaustion got the best of him. He sat up, his muscles sore from sleeping in such an unusual position, and stretched. He looked around frantically and finally found Talon sleeping a ways away under a blanket.

Ezreal stood up, stretching more. Talon jumped, seemingly instantly awake as Ezreal stretched.

"Sorry for, um, waking you," Ezreal said softly, "Did you sleep well?" Talon sat up, looking completely alert and yet somehow dazed at the same time.

"I slept fine." Talon said and gathered up his blanket, shoving it in his bag. Ezreal gathered up his journal and looked through it make sure there was nothing he missed. Satisfied with what he found, he put the journal back into its pocket on his bag.

Talon got up from where he sat and stretched his arms over his head. He combed his fingers through his long hair untangling it deftly. Ezreal watched him as he readied himself for their first full day in the ruin. If only he could understand him, then this trip wouldn't have to feel so strangely lonely. But understanding Talon seemed like more than a pipe dream. The man didn't _want_ to be understood.

"Stop staring at me." Talon's voice broke Ezreal's reverie. Ezreal looked down at his shoes sheepishly. He had spaced out staring at Talon, a bad habit of his, and he'd been caught. He didn't want to misstep with Talon; Talon looked like he was dying to put a blade through his chest.

"S-Sorry." He practically whispered. Talon just turned away from him as he continued putting things in his bag. Ezreal didn't mean any harm, he was just _annoying as hell_ /. Talon didn't know what to do with the boy. Ezreal acted like a starry-eyed teenager all the time and it was grating on Talon's nerves like you wouldn't believe. Talon just wanted to go home and resume his life as normal, was that so much to ask?

"Whatever. Don't you have work to do?" Talon said harshly. Ezreal flinched and nodded slowly. Talon was a man of few words, and all of those words seemed to be directed at instilling fear into Ezreal. Ezreal walked away slowly, slumping his shoulders a little. Being with Talon was one of the loneliest experiences he'd ever had. But he understood. Talon was taking time out of his life to take Ezreal on an expedition. He must have had a million other things he'd want to do before this.

Talon gathered up his things and followed Ezreal. As much as he hated it, he had to follow the blond boy to ends of the earth on this mission. He had many other things to do, but Swain had granted him leave especially for this expedition. He couldn't disappoint Swain, so he had to keep eyes on Ezreal at all times. That had been easy enough on the ground, but with Ezreal about to go underground, that meant Talon had to follow him.

Talon grit his teeth, quietly angry. Why did Swain have to send _him_ on this expedition? The more he thought about it the more it angered it. Out of all the people that _could_ have gone, it had to be him. He didn't dare complain to Swain's face but in the dark corners of his mind nothing stopped him from throwing a mental tantrum about it. It was like Swain _knew_ , he _knew_ this would be the utmost torture for Talon. Talon grimaced and crossed his arms, still following Ezreal. It wasn't like there was something he could do about all of this. He just had to accept his punishment for whatever great wrong he'd committed recently.

Ezreal started scanning the ruin. As he went he sketched a detailed map of the ruin in his journal. As he did, Talon followed close behind him, looking grouchier as they went on. Ezreal continued around the ruin in a big spiral circling inward towards the staircase in, what he assumed to be, the center of the ruin.

Ezreal stopped to look at everything he found along the way. Pots, stones, pieces of weaponry, anything he found could contain magic or some new discovery about Noxian history. He made sure to leave no stone unturned as he continued through the ruin looking for magical artefacts.

Finally, around noon, his spiral hit the center of the ruin. Ezreal reached out and dispelled the magic hiding the stairs. A hidden magical stairway usually meant something great at the end. Grinning to himself, Ezreal took his first steps down the stairway with Talon in tow.

It got dark quickly and Ezreal fished around in his bag for his headlamp. He found it and flicked it on so they could see in front of them. Talon, on the other hand, felt comfortable in the dark and was mildly miffed that Ezreal had to ruin it with his headlamp, but whatever got the job done the fastest was fine with him.

Ezreal looked around in wonder at his surroundings. Every ruin was a new experience and he had to make sure he left no area unsearched. Finally after walking for a few minutes, Ezreal found something, a room. Ezreal stepped into the room cautiously in case it was booby trapped, but the doorway, at least, was safe.

In the center of the room sat what looked to be a big casket. The casket was cast iron and very tarnished, but still made a powerful centerpiece for the room. Ezreal's headlamp illuminated the small room. Dust hung in the eerily still air, making the room feel a bit stuffy.

Ezreal stepped carefully, tombs were often booby trapped to deter robbers, but as he walked further into the room without resistance he loosened up, excited to explore the tomb. He approached the casket and looked for a name but the casket was too dirty to read.

Ezreal set his bag down and pulled his archaeological tool out of it. He carefully dusted off the casket, or at least he tried to, but the caked on dust seemed impervious to the gentle motion. Talon rolled his eyes, annoyed by how slow work was going but daring not to question the explorer's decisions. As Ezreal continued dusting off the casket, slowly words came into view. They were written in ancient Noxian scripts that Talon had come across before in his search for General Du'Coteau. Talon glanced over Ezreal's shoulders, reading the scripts as they came into view.

"In Memory Of General Redwood." Ezreal read aloud. Talon was briefly impressed by the boy's knowledge of ancient languages. Ancient Noxian scripts weren't exactly taught in schools, so Talon found himself marveling, for just a moment, at the dedication Ezreal put into his craft. For just a second his blank stare showed a little bit of emotion as he looked down at Ezreal.

Talon found himself watching Ezreal's hands as they moved. Each motion was so dainty and calculated that he was almost mesmerised by them. Talon's eyes traveled up Ezreal's arms to his face. The boy really was very pretty and feminine. Talon looked away from him quickly, a slight heat rising to his cheeks. Was he really getting flustered over this clown? No. No, he was not. He steeled his nerves and looked back to the scripts that were revealed on the casket.

"This tomb is probably from the Noxian Dark Ages," Ezreal thought aloud, "The iron caskets were really popular then. If it's from the Noxian Dark Ages then..." Ezreal put his hand over the latch of the casket and in a flash of blue light, the casket popped open, "It should be sealed with magic!" Ezreal finished excitedly.

Ezreal leaned over the edge of the casket. His headlamp shone brightly over the contents. There was a mummified corpse laying in the casket fully dressed in armor with all of its associated weapons. The smell of death flooded the room as the casket lay open. Ezreal flinched at the smell. While he wasn't _unused_ to the smell of rot, it still got him every time. He just didn't like it. He glanced up at Talon. Talon didn't seem fazed by the smell. Typical. A Noxian assassin probably wasn't fazed by much.

"I wonder if any of this is magical..." Ezreal murmured, passing a hand over the items in the casket. He was disappointed when none of the items reacted to his spell, but all was not lost. Ezreal gingerly picked up a sword from inside the casket. "This style of hilt, with the prongs, it was thought only to be used during the Noxian Middle Ages but this casket is definitely from the Dark Ages." Ezreal said excitedly, "Now we know that this hilt was actually used as far back as the Dark Ages!" He would normally just be talking to himself, but right now he was pretending he was talking to Talon. He didn't expect Talon to be listening to him, but he could dream.

"Is that so..." Talon said, mostly to himself. He was only just barely listening to Ezreal, but Noxian history had always been in his interests so being a part of a discovery about it, albeit a small part, actually had his attention for a moment. Ezreal jumped a little bit when Talon spoke. He hadn't been expecting Talon to even pay attention to his rambling, let alone respond.

"You like history?" Ezreal tried to make some conversation with Talon. If he could get Talon on one of his interests, maybe Talon would open up just a little bit and they could have a pleasant time together. Talon stared down at Ezreal like a deer in headlights. He liked history but if he told Ezreal that, Ezreal would just start talking to him about history and never shut up.

"No, I was just thinking aloud." Talon mumbled, making note to not speak at all in Ezreal's presence. The boy was too smart for his own good and Talon desperately wanted to keep his intrigue at bay.

"Oh, sorry for assuming." Ezreal muttered, even if Talon was lying what good would it do to call him out on it? It wasn't like Ezreal had proof he was lying, and if he was lying, he was really good at it. Talon crossed his arms, closing Ezreal out as he did. He kept eyes on him, making sure he wasn't up to anything funny, but completely tuned the rest of what was going on out. He had no desire to engage Ezreal in friendly conversation, he simply wanted to be done with this mission as fast as possible.

Finally Ezreal finished with the casket and strapped his findings together to carry them with him. He searched the rest of the room. The walls were inscribed with details of General Redwood's exploits. The ground was bare. This room was probably one of many tombs in this ruin and there was no time to spare.

Ezreal picked his things up and lead the way out of the room. He stared off into the darkness, wondering briefly what lay ahead. Left alone in the dark, he thought about Lux, the Lady of Luminosity, _his_ light. He felt tears welling up in his eyes as he thought of their dates together and how much fun they'd always had. Lux had always listened to his stories and he'd never felt alone with her by his side. Why did he have to be...that way. He cursed his position. He didn't regret anything he'd done, but he felt a strong loneliness without Lux by his side. As he thought to himself, absorbed in his thinking, he bumped into a beam crossing diagonally in front of him from floor to ceiling.

Ezreal grumbled, but felt a little relieved that something had come up to distract him from his thoughts. He reached into his bag and pulled out the hammer that went with his chisel. With one swift strike, he broke the beam in half and let it fall to the ground.

A few stones fell from the ceiling. Ezreal froze and looked up. The ceiling had begun to crumble without the beam holding up the infrastructure. He'd been too hasty breaking down the beam and the ceiling was about to collapse on top of them. A soft rumbling disturbed the peaceful air of the ruin's underground.

Ezreal dove forward and Talon jumped backwards as the ceiling came crashing down on top of them. Ezreal cursed himself mentally for not being more aware of his surroundings as he looked around him. The pile of rubble was as tall as the ceiling, blocking any way he had to exit the ruin. Immediately, he began to feel claustrophobic and panic. There was no way out. He was going to die of starvation in this ruin. He sat frozen in time as he stared up at what used to be the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" Talon called. Ezreal snapped back into reality. He was okay, aside from being stuck, the artefacts he was carrying had gotten buried under the rubble though.

"I'm okay!" Ezreal called back, "But there's no way for me to get out here! We're too far underground for me to Arcane Shift out through the celing!" He didn't want to hope that Talon had a way out, lest his hopes be dashed.

"There's a hole on this side. I'll dig you out." Talon responded. It was true. On his side the ceiling had opened up to the surface. Talon took a few steps back and got a running start. He launched himself off the pile of rubble and squeezed his body into the hole in the ground. With a little effort, he shimmied his way up until he could reach up and haul himself over the lip of the hole.

Talon unsheathed one of his blades. He couldn't just return to Noxus without Ezreal, dead or alive. Talon jammed the blade in between the bricks. They were ancient and weren't really held together with anything so the blade passed through them with ease. A few more stabs and Talon could remove the brick from its place.

Talon muttered to himself in anguish. Of course this kind of thing had to happen to him. They couldn't just have a peaceful expedition where nothing was found and nothing really happened. Ezreal had to go and collapse the god damned ceiling on them. There just _had_ to be a near death experience.

Finally, the bricks opened up a hole in the ceiling. Ezreal stood a little ways away from the hole as Talon widened it by removing more bricks from the ceiling. Ezreal stared up through the hole at Talon as he moved the bricks around. For the first time, Ezreal got a good look at him. Talon was very attractive, Ezreal realised. Ezreal found his eyes tracing Talon's chiseled features slowly, drinking in the sight of his saviour. Soon the hole was big enough for a person to fit through easily and Talon looked down at Ezreal who was, once again, staring at him.

"Stop staring at me and get up here." Talon said flatly. Ezreal jumped and averted his eyes, blushing deeply. He may or may not have been fantasizing about Talon's strong arms around him a little and being caught was highly embarrassing. Talon reached a hand out towards Ezreal and Ezreal took a step back to get a running start. He bounded off the pile of rubble and caught Talon's hand, kicking against the rubble pile futilely.

Talon groaned. Ezreal was a lot heavier than he looked and that stupid backpack didn't help either. He reached his other hand down for leverage and hauled Ezreal over the edge and up onto the ground. Ezreal lay sprawled haphazardly out over Talon's lap. It took Talon a second but as soon as he realised his predicament, he pushed Ezreal off of him.

"I have...a rope ladder..." Ezreal panted. Talon's breathing was slightly heavier than usual, but if he was shaken, he didn't show it.

"Are you sure it'll hold your weight?" Talon snapped, "I'd never expect an explorer to have so much under the hood." Ezreal flinched. Talon was right, of course, but the words still stung. Without Talon, however, he would be dead.

"It'll be fine..." He mumbled, not really sure what to say to the merciless jab Talon had taken at him, "I've used it before without problems." Talon rolled his shoulders and neck, pointedly, clearly driving the 'you're fat' comment home.

Talon just shrugged and crossed his arms. He didn't have anything else to say and he was ready to follow Ezreal back into the pit before them. He took a deep breath and shook off the heavy feeling he had in his muscles from lifting Ezreal out of the pit.

Ezreal glanced over at Talon as he prepared his rope ladder. The older man was rough around the edges and wanted nothing to do with Ezreal at any point in time, but that just made Ezreal want to get to know him more. Plus, Ezreal admitted to himself, his saviour was a very handsome man and he wanted to find out more about what such a handsome man did with his free time.

Ezreal found himself wanting to spend more time with Talon than just this expedition. Maybe if they spent enough time around each other, Talon would open up, let him in. Talon had saved him after all, so he didn't hate him enough to leave him to die, maybe there was something there.

Ezreal gathered some very heavy rocks from the rubble pile and tied the ends of the rope ladder to them. He dropped the ladder down the hole and tested his weight against the rocks cautiously to make sure they would hold. Satisfied with his work, Ezreal descended down into the hole. Talon groaned inwardly and the fact that they still had stuff to explore and followed him begrudgingly.


	4. Chapter 4

Ezreal had been right about the rest of the ruin being a bunch of tombs. This ruin appeared to be a burying of fallen Dark Ages generals. Each of the first five rooms contained a heavy metal casket with a mummified body inside. As they explored the ruin, Ezreal gave up hope on finding a magical artefact, but at the very least they had made a new discovery about Noxian history.

Ezreal searched the tombs slowly, making sure that he left nothing untouched as he went. He checked each and every item for magic, despite his realisation that there was likely nothing magical in these tombs at all. They were generals, not mages. Not that mages couldn't be generals but most of the time there was little crossover between the two as mages were usually stationed in their own units. Still, he diligently checked all of the items for traces of magic. It wasn't unheard of for high ranking military officers to carry magic weapons, even in the Dark Ages, so perhaps someone here had a magic sword they carried.

As they continued down the hallway, however, the chances of magic weapons slowly thinned and Ezreal felt a pang of disappointment. As much as he knew not every expedition could yield great discoveries, it didn't stop him from hoping.

Finally Ezreal narrowed it down to just one room at the back of the ruin's underground. This room was different. It had a door that was inscribed with magic runes that Ezreal sort of recognized. Whoever was buried beyond this door, they were very important.

Ezreal yawned. It was late in the day and he was hungry and tired. Thankfully, underground it was warm and the two were shielded from the elements and there was no need to set up a big camp really. It might even be dangerous to do so. Talon was as stoic as ever, showing no signs of being tired or hungry at all.

Ezreal marveled at Talon's self control as the two sat down and started getting ready to sleep. Ezreal stared at Talon in wonder. What went through his head as he got settled? Was he as anxious about their time together coming to a close as Ezreal? But most importantly, would he spend time with Ezreal after this expedition? Ezreal sure hoped so but Talon was a hard one to read.

Talon took another loaf of bread out of his bag and started eating. That gave Ezreal pause. He had only seen Talon eat bread the whole time they'd been out here. It was definitely a curious choice with little to no nutrients, just carbs. Ezreal on the other hand had brought with him preserved foods with a little more sustenance than bread.

"Why are you only eating bread?" Ezreal couldn't stop himself from investigating this matter further, "Are you poor or something?" Ezreal had meant no harm by the comment, it just sort of came out, but the look Talon gave him was something else. It wasn't anger, or hatred, just confusion. Ezreal wondered for a second if he'd asked that stupid of a question.

"The average payment for a hit is around 15,000 gold," Talon said flatly, "A lot of powerful people around here want people dead. I probably make more in a week than you make in a year."

Ezreal choked on his food briefly. 15,000 gold was the _average_? Ezreal was lucky to see 15,000 gold in a year let alone in one night. Ezreal mostly got paid in silver and that was considered to be a 'good job'. Ezreal stared at Talon, eyes full of wonder. What did he even do with all that money? How many people did he kill a year? How rich was he exactly?

Ezreal coughed his food back to his mouth, grimacing. He knew there had to be money in contract killing, but he never knew exactly how much. Hearing it was like having all his dreams shattered at once. He considered for just a second whether or not he could be Piltover's first contract killer, but shook the thoughts from his head quickly.

Talon locked eyes with Ezreal, daring him to comment further. Sure he competed for resources with the likes of Katarina and Jhin, but with all the political unrest that was happening all over Valoran, there were plenty of jobs for all of them. Clients liked his no frills, simple style and preferred a quick, quiet kill over something flashy like what Jhin had to offer or brutal like what Katarina did with her victims.

Ezreal stared into Talon's amber eyes for a moment and suddenly felt very small. He busied himself writing the day's findings in his journal. He got to the part where he collapsed the ceiling and had to be rescued by Talon. He thought back to his smaller, daintier hands being enveloped by Talon's big, strong ones and found himself blushing furiously. He glanced over at Talon who was staring him down with dead eyes.

"You writing about how much you miss Lux or some shit?" Talon scoffed. Ezreal was suddenly very sad. He _did_ miss Lux but not in the way Talon imagined.

"Lux and I aren't together anymore..." Ezreal said softly. Talon didn't look fazed at all by the news and shrugged.

"Relationships are a waste of time." He said in between bites of his bread. Ezreal cast his eyes down to his journal but he wasn't really focused on it. He was too busy being sad about his breakup. Ezreal shook his head. He had to get over it, move on, it was over.

Ezreal glanced back up at Talon, writing quickly in his peripheral vision. Talon was such a curious character. Ezreal found himself wanting to know everything about Talon, from what hair products he used to how he killed his targets, _everything_. He was just so interesting! Ezreal dropped his eyes back to his journal. Talon treated him with such disdain, there was no way for him to learn what he wanted to know about him so easily.

Satisfied with his work, Ezreal put his journal away and pulled out a blanket. He reclined, using his bag as a pillow, and closed his eyes. He was very tired from his day of poking around in tombs and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Talon continued to watch Ezreal as he slept. He had to make sure Ezreal was sound asleep before he could get any sleep himself and so he watched, waiting for Ezreal to slip into a deep slumber. His eyes traced Ezreal's soft features, looking for the signs of deep sleep. Talon licked his lips like a predator eyeing a delicious prey animal. Ezreal really was cute. He had a boyish charm about him that was just irresistible and blond hair and blue eyes were just Talon's type. Talon shook his head violently. He found himself running through everything he hated about the boy. He was annoying, easily distracted, boisterous, too curious for his own good. Katarina would never let him live it down if he admitted he thought Ezreal was cute, so he buried his thoughts deep the in the recesses of his mind.

Finally, Ezreal's eyes started to flicker back and forth under his eyelids. He'd fallen into a deep sleep and Talon could stop staring at him for just a moment. Talon pulled his own blanket out from his bag and wrapped himself in it tightly. He leaned up against the wall and started to fall asleep.

"Mmm...the toast..." Ezreal said aloud. Talon jumped awake and stared at him. Ezreal was still deeply sleeping, he was just talking in his sleep. Talon frowned to himself. He was a very, extremely light sleeper from years of living in Noxus's underground. If Ezreal kept talking there would be no way for him to get any sleep tonight. "The colour is too fluffy..." Ezreal continued. Talon rolled his eyes and went back to trying to fall asleep. It was going to be a very long night.

Ezreal's eyes fluttered open. Underground it was hard to tell what time it was, but he didn't feel tired anymore so he should probably get to work. Talon sat a few feet away wrapped in a blanket. Once again, Talon jumped awake when Ezreal stood up.

"Did you sleep well?" Ezreal asked instinctively. If looks could kill, Ezreal would have been dead a thousand times from the look Talon gave him.

"You talked all night." Talon said. Ezreal started to feel a little bad. Talon was such a light sleeper there was no way that his sleep talking hadn't kept the man up. When Ezreal looked closely he could see that Talon had a hint of dark circles under his eyes. He must really have not slept.

"S-Sorry." Ezreal sputtered out, embarrassed. Talon just shrugged and started putting his blanket away. Ezreal walked toward the end of the hallway where the door to the last room was. Talon followed behind him after putting his stuff away.

Ezreal first tried just opening the door, but as expected, that didn't work. A bit of magic held the door shut tight. Ezreal felt himself getting extremely excited. Someone very important was buried behind this door! The extra security meant that they almost definitely had something good!

"Dark Ages magics weren't very complex." Ezreal thought aloud. He reached out and tried to dispel the magic protecting the door. The runes on the door started to glow as they resisted Ezreal's magic but after a few seconds Ezreal's magic proved to be the stronger magic and the door swung open.

Ezreal quietly celebrated. He didn't want to have to get out his magic lock pick to try and weasel his way into the room. Ezreal kept his hand out in front of him as he entered the room, carefully using magic to search for any hidden traps, magical or otherwise. Thankfully, the room seemed to have as many traps as all the other rooms. That is to say none at all. So the two approached the casket in the center of the room with no resistance.

Ezreal went to unlock the casket but this casket resisted his usual spell. Ezreal frowned and put a little more force into it, trying to break the barrier rather than dispel it as usual. The spell on the casket didn't break so easily, though. Ezreal took a step back and sighed. He was hoping to get through this expedition without breaking out his Hextech Lock Pick but it looked like it was time. He set his bag down and dug through it for the lock pick. Once he had it in his hand he tapped it on the casket. Immediately, a matrix of magic appeared in the air. Ezreal worked the lock pick in the matrix, slowly and carefully decrypting the magic barrier holding the casket closed.

Talon watched as the younger boy decrypted the magic barrier. Piltover had such useful inventions that Noxians oft pretended they didn't buy and this was one Talon might have to pick up for himself. There was always a hole in any barrier, and Talon had no trouble finding holes in his target's security, but a Hextech Lock Pick would make searching for a hole obsolete when he could just make one himself. He studied how Ezreal used the lock pick carefully, trying to learn the inner workings of the device.

Finally the matrix blinked and disappeared signifying that the path had been opened and the magic barrier was no more. The casket popped open a little bit and Ezreal pushed it all the way open. This mummy was different from the other mummies. Instead of heavy armour this mummy wore cloth and instead of swords and knives there were staves and wands.

Ezreal felt giddy. This was the tomb of a mage general and it was likely that the artefacts recovered from it would still have magic! He grinned down at the contents of the casket like a starved man at a buffet. All of these items had the potential to be magical, a great find for the Arcanum Majoris, Ezreal just had to go through them and see what each of them brought to the table. He passed a hand over the weapons and armour in the casket. Finally, the staff in casket reacted to Ezreal's spell. Ezreal could have jumped for joy. They found _something_ that they could take back to the Arcanum Majoris. He hadn't suffered through this incredibly lonely expedition for nothing.

Ezreal carefully removed the staff from the casket. It was a wooden staff with a metal tip and blue jewels adorning it. Ezreal marveled at the artefact, the thing he'd come all this way for. Further investigation was needed to find out what, exactly, it did, but a magical artefact was a magical artefact, regardless of its powers. He just needed to transport it back to the Arcanum Majoris in one piece.

Talon felt a moment of happiness as the staff reacted to Ezreal's spell. They hadn't come all the way out here for nothing. That alone was something to celebrate. His happiness faded almost instantly, though, as Ezreal began taking notes and doing more research on artefact. Talon wished for a moment that Ezreal could do this _anywhere_ else, but didn't bother saying anything. It's not like expressing his dissatisfaction would change anything.

Ezreal began to pack the staff up, wrapping it in delicate linens to protect it from the elements. He carefully stowed the staff in the corner of his bag. Keeping the staff there prevented his bag from closing all the way but there was no other good way to carry the staff back to the Arcanum Majoris.

Talon watched as the blond's small hands daintily wrapped up the staff Ezreal had found. Every movement he made was so precise and calculated. It was a genuinely beautiful sight to behold. Talon found himself mesmerized by Ezreal's hands. They were just so graceful and elegant. After some extra work, Ezreal was satisfied with the stowing of the staff and he looked around.

"I guess...we're done here then." Ezreal sounded disappointed. He _felt_ disappointed. He wanted to spend more time with Talon and learn more about the mysterious man who'd accompanied him on this expedition, but it was time for the expedition to come to a close. Ezreal noticed some small stones on the ground. He recognised them as Dark Ages luck talismans. "Here." Ezreal bent down and picked up one of the talismans. He handed the talisman to Talon who took it, confused. "To remember our trip by!"

"Uh." Talon didn't know what to say. The gesture was...nice? He supposed. But he didn't _want_ to remember this trip. He wanted to get back to his regular life. "Thanks." The word rang hollow as he spoke it. It sounded like he had a gun to his head as he spoke. To be polite, he pocketed the talisman, but resolved to throw it away later.

Ezreal turned and walked towards the door. Talon followed him closely. The two started to make their way back towards the capital city of Noxus. Ezreal did his best not to get distracted by the wonders of the Noxian forests, but found himself writing down information about the flora and fauna as they went. Talon stayed in front, guiding their way back by map, glancing over his shoulder every so often to make sure he hadn't lost Ezreal in the forest.

Finally, they made it back to the capital city of Noxus. It was already late in the evening. Talon checked Ezreal into the inn he'd stayed at when he'd first arrived in Noxus. Hawthorne was there again to wait on them. He looked at Talon expectantly as Talon turned to Ezreal and gave him the key to the room he'd be staying in. Talon turned to leave Ezreal at the hotel again, much to Hawthorne's surprise.

"Wait, Talon." Ezreal started. Talon turned back ever so slightly and stared Ezreal down icily, "Can we maybe hang out some time?"

"No." Talon's voice was firm and resolute. There was no wiggle room to argue with the man about what had just transpired. Ezreal's face fell. He had expected Talon to be a little hard to get but the firmness with which he was rejected cut deeply. Talon turned on his heel and left the inn leaving Hawthorne slackjawed. Ezreal stared after him for a little while before turning to find his room so he could go to sleep.

Ezreal made his way back to Piltover the next day. He returned to his home, it was exactly as he'd left it, maybe even a little neater thanks to Caitlyn stopping in to make sure no one had ransacked the place while he was gone. Ezreal took out his holocaster and called Caitlyn. Soon a hologram of Caitlyn's face appeared in front of him.

"Ezreal, you're home soon." Caitlyn mused. Ezreal shrugged and smiled into the hologram brightly.

"I'll have to report to the Arcanum Majoris soon. We found a magic staff." Ezreal responded. After he met with the Arcanum Majoris he'd have to have a meeting with all of the nations to discuss what was found as well, but that would come later.

"We?" Caitlyn sounded confused.

"Me and Talon!" Ezreal responded cheerfully, "He didn't really help with the excavation but he was there too!" Caitlyn's eyes narrowed. Ezreal sounded _too_ cheerful about Talon being there with him.

"Ezreal..." Caitlyn started, "You're not thinking..." Ezreal grinned.

"He's pretty dreamy." Ezreal admitted, touching his face nervously. Caitlyn sighed loudly and pressed her fingers to her temples.

"Ezreal. As your friend and confidant, I have to stop you there. Talon is a dangerous man. You definitely should not get involved with him." Caitlyn said, "He's an assassin with no regard for the law." Vi pushed her way into the frame, wrapping an arm around Caitlyn's shoulders.

"Chill out, cupcake," Vi laughed, "This probably would never go anywhere. Talon probably thinks Ezreal is reincarnated dirt." Ezreal's face fell as he recounted to himself the stinging rejection from the night before.

"Ezreal, I'm sure you can find someone your own age here in Piltover. Someone who studies hard and works hard and isn't stabbing people under the cover of night for a living." Caitlyn continued, ignoring Vi competely. "Don't rebound off of Talon." Caitlyn didn't sound angry, or even disappointed, she sounded scared. Scared for Ezreal, scared of Talon, it didn't really matter what she was scared of, but she was terrified for the outcome of this situation.

"He's not all bad! He saved me when the ceiling collapsed on us! But he would never like someone like me..." Ezreal sounded sad, so very sad. Caitlyn was torn between wanting to comfort Ezreal and encourage him and wanting to crush all his hopes in one blow. There was no way around Talon being dangerous and Ezreal definitely needed to _not_ be involved with him. But at the same time, there was no need to be mean when there was no evidence it would go anywhere.

"You're a great catch. He's just not for you." Caitlyn said resolutely. Ezreal nodded but still looked sad, "I've gotta get going. Paperwork. You should get some rest before you head to Arcanum Majoris tomorrow."

"Yeah." Ezreal yawned, suddenly acutely aware of how tired he was, "I'll talk to you later." Caitlyn and Vi waved good bye before hanging up. Ezreal made his way into his disaster of a bedroom and laid down.

He had no doubt in his mind that he had a crush on Talon. But Caitlyn was right, wasn't she? Talon was dangerous and quite a bit older than Ezreal. It was a bad idea wasn't it? Ezreal thought to himself with a heavy heart. On paper it definitely seemed like a bad idea but the heart was a fickle thing, and Ezreal's heart wanted Talon.


	5. Chapter 5

Ezreal picked his dress clothes out of the pile of his clean laundry. He'd delivered the staff to the Arcanum Majoris and the results of their testing were back, so it was time for the meeting to discuss the findings of the expedition. He stood in front of his mirror, straightening his collar and otherwise preening himself for his big presentation.

Happy with his appearance, Ezreal made his way to the meeting place, a diplomatic building in between Noxus and Demacia. Diplomats from all over Valoran gathered to hear what had transpired during his three days in Noxus. Ezreal felt a little bit nervous as he always did, but knew that this presentation would go smoothly like every other presentation.

Diplomats filed into the hall and found their usual places around the edges of the room. They greeted one another cheerfully, a feeling that definitely would not prevail throughout the usual meetings. After everyone had found their places in the hall, Ezreal stood up, clearing his throat loudly to get everyone's attention.

"Good afternoon, everyone." Ezreal started. Everyone turned to look at him expectantly, "As you know, I recently concluded an excavation of a ruin in the Noxian badlands. We've gathered you here today to discuss the findings of that excavation." Ezreal felt his bashfulness melt away as he started to speak, getting into the groove of speaking as he always did. He recounted the initial arrival's findings, perfectly preserved Dark Ages pottery. This information drew little attention, even a few yawns. But

Ezreal was yet to get to the meat of the discovery. He recounted the finding of the hidden staircase and the nature of the magic hiding it. He conveniently left out the part where he collapsed the ceiling and Talon had to save him. He went through the contents of the tombs, mentioning that there was new information on Noxian history in the usage of certain styles of sword hilts. Finally he got to the last day of the exploration. Excitement rose in his chest as he thought about the last day of the exploration. He and Talon had made a great discovery! Ezreal went into detail about the contents of the last tomb, he made sure to properly emphasize how important it was to have found the tomb of a mage general. Finally he got to the staff.

"This staff was found in the casket of General Barkridge," He said, producing the staff from his bag, "It reacted to magic, indicating that it was indeed a magical artefact. Upon further testing it was found that this staff amplifies the wielder's magic by shredding the that target's resistance to magic. It was likely used as a countermeasure to magic resistant armour." Ezreal continued. He could see the leaders of each city-state looking on in wonder. The artefact definitely held great power and would be useful to armies if mass produced. Other than Demacia which was strongly against the use of magic, any city-state would make great use of the staff. "This concludes the findings of the recent expedition to Noxus."

Swain looked particularly interested in the staff. Likely to use as a countermeasure against Demacia's incredibly magic resistant armour. Jarvan mumbled to Garen about how Demacia didn't need to such weapons and how those utilizing its power were fools. Everyone started to get up to head back to their respective city-states. Ezreal gathered his papers up and began to prepare for his trip home. But first, there was someone he wanted to talk to.

"Talon." Ezreal approached Talon and Katarina outside the hall. Talon turned, immediately annoyed with Ezreal's presence. Ezreal hadn't really gotten this far in planning this conversation and he was left flying by the seat of his pants, "I, uh, was wondering if you wanted, uh, to go somewhere, uhm, together. To, uhm, celebrate...our...discovery?" Katarina's eyes flicked between Talon and Ezreal, trying to read the situation. Talon grimaced.

"I already told you no." Talon said flatly. Ezreal felt the sting of rejection once more as Talon swiftly struck his hopes down. Katarina stared at Talon for a second before a sly smirk crossed her features.

"What do you mean 'no'?" She asked. Talon turned to her, a look of sheer horror on his face, "How could you possibly say no to this face?" She continued and reached out to gently squeeze Ezreal's cheeks, "How could you be so _heartless_?"

Ezreal was confused for a second. Before he realized what was happening, Katarina threw her arm around his shoulders and lead him closer into Talon's personal space. Talon was frozen to the spot, staring Katarina down with a look on his face that was somewhere in between terrified and murderous.

"It's okay." Ezreal waved his hands, trying to placate Katarina, "I didn't expect Talon to be, uhm, like that...I guess..." He tried to be honest without giving too much about himself away.

"What are you talking about? Talon's gay." Katarina got a big grin on her face, "I don't think I've seen him sleep with a woman ever. But he always had guys over. They always had blond hair and blue eyes too. I'd say you're his type!" Ezreal didn't really know how to feel about what was happening. On one hand he felt suddenly hopeful that he could get through to Talon and maybe have a chance, on the other hand finding out this way felt terribly dirty.

"Let's have a little chat, you and me," Katarina said, smiling brightly, "You know, person who likes Talon to person who likes Talon, not that I like him the way you like him." Katarina's eyes shot over to Talon who looked like he was absolutely seething. Ezreal half smiled awkwardly. The tension between the Du Coteau siblings was more than just palpable, Ezreal could practically see the lighting crackling in their gazes.

"That's, uhm, not necessary." Ezreal said quietly. He didn't want to force Talon to go out with him; he wanted it to be a mutual attraction. Katarina was having none of that, though. She gripped Ezreal tighter and flipped her hair out of her eyes coyly.

"No, no, no, honey. Talon _wants_ to go out with you. He just doesn't want to say it. So you'll be going with him, okay?" Katarina leaned into Ezreal's face before pushing him into Talon roughly. Ezreal fell forward and landed on Talon's chest, "And just in case he decides to be a _total jerk_ and he ditches you, let me tell you all the places he frequents so you can catch up with him!"

"For fuck's sake, I'll take him with me." Talon snapped. Katarina's eyes lit up.

"You have to _promise_ you won't leave him in Noxus alone!" Katarina said, feigning concern, "We wouldn't want this cute, pure, Piltoveran boy to get caught up with some Noxian thugs, would we?" Katarina grabbed Ezreal's wrist and moved his hand over to Talon's. She maneuvered Talon's fingers until they were interlocked with Ezreal's. Ezreal blushed, even if it was forced, the contact made him just a little bit happy.

"I won't leave him. Just _please fuck off._ " Talon hissed. Katarina held out her pinky to Talon. Talon reached out and locked pinkies with her, rolling his eyes. Katarina folded her hands in front of her, smiling happily at what she had created.

"Okay! Have fun, lovebirds!" She said and waved as she walked off. Talon didn't let go of Ezreal's hand but lead him out of the building the Arcanum Majoris met in. Everyone had left by now, so there was no one to see them together.

"Uhm, Talon?" Ezreal said softly. Talon glanced back at him. The older man's gaze bore into Ezreal's soul. "You know you don't _have_ to take me out, right? I'll lie if Katarina asks..." He said, his eyes turning down as he thought about Talon leaving him.

"Noxians do what they say they'll do." Talon said, no emotion apparent in his voice. Ezreal felt a pang of sadness. This was only a courtesy so that Katarina would leave Talon alone. He shook his head slightly, trying to banish the negative thoughts. He just had to _show_ Talon that this was something that as worth working on.

Ezreal followed Talon closely looking down at their interlocked fingers. He felt heat rise to his cheeks as Talon continued to lead him up to the portal back to Noxus. The two stepped through the portal into the Noxus.

The streets were dingy and dark and in his nice, proper clothing, Ezreal stood out terribly. Talon glanced back at him, as if he could feel Ezreal's unease. With one hand, he undid his cloak and threw over Ezreal's head. Ezreal looked up past the hood at Talon. Talon turned his gaze back to the road before them. Ezreal gripped the cloak around his shoulders like a security blanket. He checked to make sure Talon wasn't looking, then lifted the fabric of the cloak to his face. It was soft and smelled like cologne, Talon's cologne.

"I can see you, you know." Talon said, turning his head to Ezreal. Ezreal jumped, blushing furiously. He pulled the hood of the cloak down so that it covered his face and cheeks, burning with embarrassment.

"I wasn't..." Ezreal mumbled, turning his head away from Talon so that Talon couldn't see his face. Ezreal almost thought he heard Talon snicker as he chewed his lip nervously. He heard a door creak and peeked out from under the cloak.

The bar Talon had brought him to was dimly lit and very clean. Some of the patrons turned their head to the door as the two entered, whispering among themselves. Talon pulled Ezreal up to the bar and motioned to one of the bar stools.

Ezreal released Talon's hand and hopped up onto the bar stool. He immediately missed the gentle warmth of Talon's hand intertwined with his. Talon sat on the bar stool next to him and leaned on the counter.

"What do you drink, kid?" Talon asked. Ezreal looked over at Talon, confused. He didn't drink so he had no idea what to order, "I'll buy you whatever you want."

Ezreal looked around for a menu but to no avail, nothing was posted. He wracked his brain for types of alcohol but didn't really know any off the top of his head.

"I'll, uhm, have what you recommend." Ezreal said quietly, looking at his hands sheepishly. He could practically hear Talon's smirk as Talon turned to the bartender.

"I'll have a whiskey on the rocks," Talon started and glanced over at Ezreal, sizing him up, "And he'll have a Sex on the Beach." The bartender snickered loudly and set about making the drinks that were ordered. Ezreal inched his hands closer to Talon's on the bar. Talon glared over at Ezreal out of the corner of his eye.

"Here you boys go." The bartender said, pushing two glasses towards them. Ezreal took the drink, ignoring the soft giggling of the bartender. He took a sip and, though there was a hint of alcohol, he found it to be quite tasty.

"You would like something like that." Talon mused. Ezreal blushed and anxiously took another sip of his drink. Talon grabbed his glass of the bar and downed it like it was water. Ezreal grimaced slightly.

"Isn't that really strong?" He asked. Talon raised his eyebrow at him.

"You get used to it." Talon responded flatly. Ezreal sipped his drink as the bartender came back and pushed another glass of whiskey to Talon. Ezreal stared at the bartender incredulously.

"Talon is here almost every night." The bartender explained before moving back to his other patrons. Ezreal watched as Talon pounded glass after glass of whiskey. Ezreal couldn't bring himself to take more than a few small sips of his drink at once, even though it tasted quite good.

Talon could feel the whiskey hitting the core of his mind. Warmth radiated through his soul as he continued to drink whiskey faster than the bartender could provide him with more. His vision swam and it was starting to sound like his head was in a fishbowl. Sound and light seemed warped and distorted as he turned his gaze to Ezreal who was sipping his drink nervously.

Ezreal really _was_ attractive, but mixing business with pleasure was never a good idea. Still, perhaps Ezreal would leave him alone if he slept with him. Perhaps a one night stand was all that Ezreal needed to finally leave Talon to his own devices.

Ezreal noticed Talon staring at him and felt his face get hot. He took a gulp of air as Talon continued to look him up and down, deep in thought. Ezreal looked down at the floor, sipping at the remnants of his drink.

Talon slid off his stool and took a step towards Ezreal, slightly off balance. Ezreal practically fell backwards off his stool, barely catching himself on the wall behind him. Talon's hand hit the wall next to Ezreal's head with a loud thump. A few heads turned to see what the commotion was as Talon leaned down, bringing his face close to Ezreal's. Ezreal recoiled slightly as the heavy stench of whiskey hit him.

"You're so nervous. Where did that feisty demeanour of yours go, hm?" Talon snarked. Ezreal could feel Talon's breath on his face. He reached out to push Talon away but the moment his hands touched Talon's shoulders he froze. It was like he'd been struck by lightning and he couldn't pull his hands away. Talon leaned closer and whispered into Ezreal's ear "You look like a school girl in love, you know. It's not smart to let yourself have such strong feelings for a complete stranger."

"I...I don't..." Ezreal stammered, drinking in the smell of whiskey and cologne. His body betrayed his inner desires and he subconsciously ran his fingers along Talon's arms, taking in the man's lean but muscular build.

"You horny little thing. Why don't you come home with me?' Talon murmured. Talon's hand moved from the wall to the hair near Ezreal's temple. His fingers absently twirled a lock of blond hair.

"What do you mean by that?" Ezreal's voice shook as his fingers continued to explore the body of the very drunk Talon. Before he knew what was happening, Talon's teeth gently closed over his earlobe. Ezreal whimpered, his hands gripping Talon's shirt.

"Come have some fun with me. If you're that desperate, there's always the bathroom." Talon snickered. Ezreal's face burned as the thought of having sex with Talon in a dirty bar bathroom filled his mind. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to respond. "What's the matter? Yordle got your tongue?" Talon pressed his lips to Ezreal's jaw and Ezreal melted into Talon's chest.

Talon wrapped his free arm around Ezreal's waist and pulled the smaller boy into him. Talon leaned up and kissed Ezreal softly. Ezreal's eyes widened before slipping closed and he snaked his arms around Talon's neck. Ezreal's lips molded to Talon's as he kissed the assassin. He felt like Talon could surely hear his heartbeat from where he stood; it felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest.

Talon held Ezreal firmly as he swiped his tongue across Ezreal's lips. Ezreal's lips parted ever so slightly and Talon's tongue hungrily pushed into the blond's mouth. Ezreal's tongue briefly attempted to ward off the intrusion but quickly accepted Talon's aggressive exploration of his mouth. Ezreal's fingers lazily played with Talon's ponytail as their tongues danced together.

Talon broke away from Ezreal and stared deep into Ezreal's eyes for a moment. He reached into his pocket and pulled a few silver coins out of his pocket and threw them on the counter. Ezreal chewed on his lip as he watched Talon. This was going to happen, wasn't it? He was going to _sleep with Talon._

Talon took Ezreal's hand and lead him out of the bar quickly, ignoring the hoots and whistles on the way out.

Talon lead Ezreal just across the street into the inn Ezreal had stayed at on his first night in Noxus. Talon burst through the door with Ezreal trailing behind him.

"Oh, hey Talon!" Hawthorne said happily, "Hello to you too, Ezreal. Are you guys, uhm, staying together?" He asked, his eyes never leaving Talon. Talon pulled more silver coins out his pocket and tossed them on Hawthorne's counter. Hawthorne smiled and reached over to a part of his desk that was out of sight and produced a condom and a small bottle of lube that he handed to Talon, "Stay safe, guys." He said, waving to them.

Talon grabbed the condom and lube from Hawthorne and lead Ezreal down the hall to the room listed on their key. Ezreal looked up at the back of Talon's head as they approached their room. His hair was long and shiny. Ezreal longed to run his fingers through Talon's hair, to feel the soft strands falling through his fingers.

Talon opened the door and stepped into the room, turning on his heel and tossing the things he'd received from Hawthorne onto the bed. He pulled Ezreal into the room and closed the door behind him. Talon pushed the smaller boy back into the door and cupped Ezreal's face with his hands. Their lips met and it was like a fire spread over Talon's skin. Everywhere that Ezreal touched was set alight with a feeling of pleasure that Talon never knew was possible.

Ezreal's hands found their way to Talon's ponytail once more and he gently tugged the tie keeping Talon's hair up loose. Talon's long chestnut brown hair fell over his shoulders. Ezreal's fingers combed through Talon's silky hair softly.

Ezreal felt Talon's breath hitch as he played with the man's hair. Talon nipped Ezreal's bottom lip, a sultry purr rumbling in his chest. Ezreal whimpered and Talon took his opportunity to shove his tongue back into Ezreal's mouth. His mouth tasted sweet from the Sex on the Beach and Talon relished the taste as he ran his tongue along Ezreal's teeth.

Ezreal kept one hand stroking Talon's hair but let his other hand fall to Talon's back. He drew small circles on Talon's back with his finger tips, reveling in how the man tensed ever so slightly as he did. Talon leaned into Ezreal's touch his breath coming in short gasps. Talon's fingers found Ezreal's hair and he yanked Ezreal's head back, exposing the boy's neck. He moved down to Ezreal's neck, nipping and sucking at the soft skin of Ezreal's throat. Ezreal moaned, pulling Talon closer and running his hands up and down the older man's back.

Talon's hands found Ezreal's waist. He pulled the explorer closer, grinding his hips against Ezreal's. Ezreal felt his cock twitch as Talon's hips rubbed against his own. He felt heat pooling in his stomach as he grinded against Talon. He felt Talon smirk against his skin and he wrapped his arms around Talon's shoulders, holding him tight. Talon hastily pulled Ezreal's shirt out of his pants and pressed his fingers into Ezreal's skin.

Ezreal jumped slightly. Talon's touch felt like electricity shooting through his veins. He wanted him. He wanted him _so_ bad. Ezreal's hands found their way under Talon's chin and guided Talon back up to his lips. Ezreal kissed Talon hotly, his hands caressing Talon's face. Talon's hands slipped up Ezreal's shirt. Ezreal gasped as Talon's fingers closed around his nipple. Ezreal moaned as Talon teased his nipple. He clumsily undid the button on Talon's pants. Talon leaned away from Ezreal and lifted his shirt over his head and threw it on the floor.

Ezreal shivered as his skin was exposed to the cold Noxian air. His hands dove down Talon's pants, desperate to know what he was working with. Talon leaned in and whispered in Ezreal's ear.

"Come on, take them off. You know you want to." Ezreal couldn't resist the bold statement and he pulled Talon's pants down, "Good boy." Talon whispered and grabbed Ezreal's wrist.

Talon led Ezreal to the bed and sat down on the side of the bed. He wrapped his arms around Ezreal's waist and pulled him in close. Ezreal looked down at him, lust clouding his eyes. Ezreal's fingers wound their way into Talon's hair, stroking the soft locks.

"I want you." Ezreal mumbled. Talon cocked his head to the side ever so slightly and a playful smirk crossed his features for just a moment. Talon stripped off his shirt, revealing his lithe figure. Ezreal's eyes traveled over Talon's body shyly. Talon was lean but muscular and Ezreal suddenly felt like his pants were oppressively tight.

"What was that?" Talon asked. Ezreal blushed deeply. He opened his mouth but closed it, pouting. Talon raised an eyebrow, "I didn't hear you." He feigned ignorance. Ezreal leaned in and whispered in Talon's ear.

"I want you, Talon. I want you to _fuck me_." Ezreal felt Talon tense with arousal under his touch. Talon reached behind his head and grabbed Ezreal's wrists. In one swift motion, he flipped Ezreal underneath him. Talon pinned Ezreal's hands above his head with just one hand and used his other hand to unbutton Ezreal's pants. He pressed his cheek against Ezreal's and licked the blond's ear.

"I'm gonna fuck you until you scream my name so loud that all of Noxus can hear your filthy whore mouth." Talon said, pulling Ezreal's pants off. Talon's words lit a fire in Ezreal's stomach. He wanted to belong to Talon, even if just for a night. Just a thin layer of cloth separated them and Ezreal could feel the warmth of Talon's body against his. Ezreal bucked his hips up against Talon, silently begging Talon to give him the skin to skin contact he craved. Talon obliged and stripped his own underwear off and tossed them off the bed, then took care of Ezreal's underwear as well.

Ezreal gasped as he felt Talon's cock pressed against his own. Talon was going to be _inside_ him and it was going to be wonderful. Talon leaned down and kissed him softly. Ezreal's hands were released and they quickly found their way around Talon's neck. Ezreal pulled Talon deeper into the kiss, parting his lips so that Talon's tongue could slip into his mouth. Ezreal sucked on Talon's tongue lightly as he grinded against Talon, little moans escaping him as he rubbed his hard cock against Talon's.

Talon moved down Ezreal's body, kissing and licking as he went.

Talon tentatively licked Ezreal, running his tongue along Ezreal's shaft. Ezreal moaned loudly. The blond's hands immediately moved to cover his mouth in embarrassment. Talon glanced up and moved Ezreal's hands away from his mouth before closing his mouth around the tip of Ezreal's cock.

Ezreal gripped the sheets, arching his back up as Talon's tongue swirled around his head of his cock. Talon slowly took more of Ezreal into his mouth. Ezreal's eyes widened and one of his hands moved to tangle his fingers into Talon's hair. Talon hummed against his cock, sending waves of pleasure through Ezreal's body. Ezreal shuddered as Talon moved his head up and down slowly, dragging his tongue along the underside of Ezreal's cock.

Talon grabbed Ezreal's hips, steadying the explorer as he lapped at his dick. Talon kneaded the soft, milky white skin as he bobbed his head up and down. He glanced up at Ezreal's face and drank in the sight of the prodigy sprawled out, writhing helplessly in pleasure. Ezreal pressed himself back into the pillows as a searing heat spread through his veins. It was like the world had collapsed around him and all that was left was Talon holding him, sucking him.

It had been quite sometime since Talon had last blown someone. He had done quite a bit of this during his teens and early twenties, but it had been almost a decade since he'd last felt like he wanted to feel close to someone in this way. He wondered if it was just the sheer amount of whiskey he'd consumed or something more.

His thoughts were shattered as Ezreal let out a strangled cry. Talon had moved his attention to the tip of Ezreal's cock. He swirled his tongue around the tip of Ezreal's dick. Ezreal covered his eyes with one arm. His thoughts were clouded with errant lust as Talon continued to please him. His body felt white hot. The heat pooling in his stomach was threatening to bubble over.

"Talon..." Ezreal whined, "Talon, stop. I… I'm gonna..." Ezreal weakly reached to push Talon away but it only took one light swipe of Talon's tongue along Ezreal's frenulum to send the blond over the edge. He bit down on the skin of his hand, an irrepressible scream ripping through his lungs as he saw stars. Talon's mouth closed over Ezreal's cock as the boy came hard into the older man's mouth. Talon quietly slurped up all the cum and swallowed it. It definitely was a feeling he was not used to but it was not unpleasant, which surprised him a little bit. He leaned up and kissed Ezreal sweetly.

Ezreal's breaths came in ragged gasps as he kissed Talon. The taste of his own semen fogged his senses leaving him feeling needy and delirious.

"Talon. Talon, I need you," Ezreal breathed. He ran his fingers along Talon's back, "I need you inside me." Ezreal moaned. Talon felt his cock twitch as he listened to the desperately horny boy. He picked up the bottle of lube from beside them on the bed and coated his fingers in the slick fluid. Talon pushed his middle finger into Ezreal's ass, careful to be gentle with the boy.

Ezreal's face morphed into a loopy smile. He bore down on Talon's hand, his moans full of desire. He didn't want to take it slow. He was okay with the pain if it meant he could have Talon _now._

Talon carefully inserted another finger into Ezreal. He couldn't help but be turned on by how much the younger man wanted him. It was nice to be desired like this. He curled his fingers very slightly, pressing against the walls of Ezreal's anus. It took a bit of searching to find the exact spot, but soon Ezreal let out a breathy moan, bucking his hips up against Talon. Talon wasted no time steadying Ezreal so he could massage the boy's prostate.

Ezreal felt so strongly he could cry and he did feel tears pricking his eyes as he body reacted to the assault of pleasure. His voice quivered as Talon added a third finger into his body. Ezreal had no idea how much he had missed being with men. They had always been his preference but he'd always thought he'd be okay with being with a woman. This experience, however, proved to him that he really _couldn't_ live without cock.

Talon spread his fingers as best as he could against Ezreal's tight anus. Ezreal squirmed and moaned as he did, his fingers gripping the sheets until his knuckles were mirrored the stark white. Talon pulled his fingers out of Ezreal, quickly slipped the condom on, and squeezed more lube out of the bottle. He slicked his cock and gently pulled Ezreal into his lap. He leaned over Ezreal, letting the tip of his cock press against Ezreal's hole teasingly.

"I'm gonna fuck you now, okay?" Talon whispered. Ezreal whimpered, wrapping his arms around Talon's neck and pulling him in for a kiss. Talon pressed into Ezreal slowly. Instinctively, Ezreal bit down on Talon's lip. Talon inhaled sharply as he felt a surge of desire rush thought his body. He pushed in to the hilt and relaxed to give Ezreal time to adjust to the intrusion.

"Talon. Oh, it's so good." Ezreal's voice quivered as he spoke. Talon leaned down and pressed his lips to Ezreal's neck. Ezreal trembled with lust as Talon sucked on his neck. Just as slowly as he entered him, Talon started to move his hips. A scorching pleasure shot through Ezreal's veins as Talon humped him.

Talon released Ezreal's neck, inspecting the dark hickey with satisfaction. He moved back to Ezreal's lips, licking and sucking on the boy's bottom lip. The explorer felt so soft and warm inside; it was heavenly. Ezreal's lips parted, granting Talon entrance into his sweet mouth. Talon wasted no time getting his tongue into Ezreal's mouth as he thrusted into the young boy. Their tongues clashed and Ezreal let out a loud moan into Talon's mouth. Talon smirked into the kiss and rubbed the tip of his cock against Ezreal's prostate.

"Talon, right there." Ezreal whimpered, digging his nails into Talon's back. Talon's mind swirled with pleasure and emotion as he pressed Ezreal into the bed. Even when the two broke their kiss to breathe, his tongue lay on his bottom lip, begging to taste Ezreal's mouth once more. Ezreal's little gasps were driving Talon mad with desire. The coil in his abdomen was tightening with each thrust.

Talon's hair fell over his shoulders like curtains around their faces creating a very private and intimate atmosphere. Talon felt a bit uncomfortable with how intimate this exchange was. His hook ups were usually very impersonal, just about the sex. He was not used to feeling so close to his partners. Despite the lingering alien feeling of the encounter, Talon couldn't help himself when it came to kissing Ezreal.

The boy's lips were so soft and delicious; he couldn't stay away from them.

Ezreal felt hot all over. The pleasure was so overwhelming that few tears streaked down his cheeks. He bucked his hips up against Talon, searching for the pleasure that only the assassin could provide for him.

"Fuck, you feel great." Talon purred. He noted that the feeling of strangeness at the comment was not there. Normally, he was a very quiet lover, but he wanted to talk to Ezreal. He wanted him to know how great he was. Talon was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to compliment Ezreal. It didn't feel uncomfortable or alien and that in and of itself was pretty alien.

The compliment, however crass, left a huge crack in Ezreal's armor. He felt a heat, stronger than before, filling his abdomen and dancing across his skin. Overcome with longing, Ezreal raked his nails down Talon's back. Talon let out a guttural groan as he arched his back like a cat, plunging deep into Ezreal.

The sensation of Talon's cock buried inside of him made Ezreal dizzy with pleasure. Every hit to his prostate made him see coloured lights in the air around him. It felt so good that he couldn't think coherently anymore; all he could focus on was Talon and how the older man made him feel. The stimulation was so intense that Ezreal felt he might faint at any moment. His body had reached its boiling point and he felt like he was about to burst.

"Talon," Ezreal panted, "Talon, I'm close. I'm _so_ close." Those words tightened the coil in Talon's stomach to the breaking point. He nibbled Ezreal's neck gently.

"Cum for me, baby." He murmured, mostly to himself, but loud enough that Ezreal could hear, and that was all it took for Ezreal to come undone at the seams.

It wasn't the first time Ezreal had double orgasmed, but it certainly was _the best time_. He didn't even register the semen splattering over his torso or his loud, raspy screaming as the orgasm rippled through his body.

Seeing Ezreal lose all sense of dignity and control might have been the hottest thing Talon had ever seen in his life. For the first time in his life, Talon came so hard he saw stars. He collapsed onto his elbows, a low purr rumbling through his chest as he rode out the orgasm.

He looked up at Ezreal, panting. The explorer's eyes were glazed over and unfocused and yet they seemed to stare directly into Talon's soul. Ezreal's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. Talon hesitantly kissed Ezreal's forehead.

Ezreal smiled so hard it was almost audible and Talon swore he could hear it. The blond was quickly slipping into a deep slumber, a soft smile adorning his features. Talon watched him, the reality of the night slowly setting in as he did.

As Ezreal drifted off, Talon lifted himself over him and slid off the bed. He searched for his clothes and dressed quickly, not really caring for his appearance. He glanced over his shoulder at the blond who was sleeping peacefully on the bed. Talon crept over to the bed and covered Ezreal with the blanket so he wouldn't get too cold in the Noxian night.

Talon shook his head to clear his thoughts and made his way to the door. He stole one last look at Ezreal's sleeping form before slipping out the door into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Ezreal awoke in an unfamiliar room. He sat up abruptly and looked around. It only took a moment for memories of the night before to come back, flooding his heart with emotion. Something was missing, though. Talon had left him in the hotel. He was alone.

Ezreal gathered the blankets up to his chest, anxiously. He was safe, for now, but his heart still ached. He longed to touch Talon, hold him and be held back. Ezreal knew it was nothing more than an unachievable dream, but still, he yearned for the older man's touch. Yet, Ezreal had hope. Talon had cared enough to wrap him in a blanket to prevent him from getting cold. Ezreal hoped the small gesture meant something, but he acknowledged that he could be reading too much into the situation.

Ezreal climbed out of bed and started gathering up his clothes. He carried his pile of clothes into the bathroom and placed them on the sink. The wait for the water in the shower to warm up felt just as long as the first time he'd been here. Ezreal glanced into the mirror to inspect his body for any damage. Almost immediately, he noticed the dark purple hickey on his neck. He touched it gingerly. It didn't hurt, but it was a visible reminder of where he'd been. He wouldn't be able to hide it and everyone would know that he'd slept with Talon. Ezreal closed his eyes and tried to remember the feeling of Talon's lips on his neck. If he focused hard enough, he could almost feel the suction on his skin. He let out a soft moan, placing his hand over the bruise. Hearing his own voice made him self-conscious and he ripped himself out of his fantasy, embarrassed.

He stepped into the shower, thinking on how he was going to explain his absence to Caitlyn when she inevitably questioned him. Ezreal knew she would not approve of his activities, and so maybe he should be somewhere else when she returned home. He scrubbed his body with his hands, trying to get the dried cum off his torso and thighs. Ezreal imagined the hot water was washing away Caitlyn's criticisms and anger. Satisfied with his washing, he stepped out of the shower to dry off.

As Ezreal was dressing, he realised that Talon had left his cloak with him. Ezreal wrapped the cloak around his shoulders, fastening it with the clip near the hood. He noticed that the clip was a crest that he didn't recognise. It featured a dragon's skull with two knives. Perhaps it was the crest of the Du Couteau family. Ezreal could still faintly smell Talon's cologne on the cloak and it brought him a strange sense of security. It was as if Talon was personally protecting him from the harsh eyes of the Noxian citizens.

Ezreal quickly left the room. He didn't intend to get anything to eat before leaving as he didn't want to attract any attention to himself. Hawthorne was, once again, sitting at the desk by the door. The man smiled and waved at Ezreal.

"How was your night?" Hawthorne asked. Ezreal froze, his face getting hot. He covered his mouth and looked away from Hawthorne anxiously. Hawthorne giggled to himself. "Talon already paid for the room and stuff, so you can go." Ezreal nodded and scurried out of the inn.

Ezreal quickly found a portal to Piltover and stepped into his home city-state. He made his way to his flat and quietly unlocked the door. He poked his head around the corner of the door.

"Hello, Ezreal." Caitlyn sounded extremely annoyed as she spoke. Ezreal froze up and hid behind the door, "I know you're there. Stop hiding." She demanded. Ezreal came out from behind the door, looking at his feet sheepishly. "I saw you leave with Talon and you didn't come home." She said flatly.

"Yeah, uh, I can explain." Ezreal said, wringing his hands. Caitlyn's eyes scanned his body. He could feel her eyes boring into the hickey on his neck as she stared at it intently. She got up and walked over to him. She pulled the hood of the cloak off and inspected the hickey up close.

"You _slept with him_!" She shouted. Vi came running out of Caitlyn's bedroom and held up her hand to Ezreal.

"Sweet sex hair! Nice job, little buddy! High-five!" Vi laughed, Caitlyn looked at Vi in dismay. Ezreal hesitantly high-fived Vi and turned his attention back to Caitlyn who was just oozing anger out of her pores. Caitlyn had always been a little bit motherly to Ezreal and he knew she was just worried about him, but he couldn't help but feel annoyed at her micromanaging.

"Talon is _dangerous_!" Caitlyn hissed, "You can't trust him! He's a Noxian assassin! You're going to end up hurt...physically!" Ezreal took a step back from Caitlyn to keep a solid distance between them. Vi put her hands on Caitlyn's shoulders, almost as if to restrain the woman.

"Calm down, cupcake. He _didn't_ die. There's nothing to be upset about." Vi tried to calm Caitlyn as she flew further into her rage.

"What do you _mean_ 'nothing to be upset about'?" Caitlyn started gesturing wildly at Vi as she spoke, "Ezreal is sleeping with _an assassin_! A man who's wanted in pretty much every city-state! He's going to get in trouble! He's going to get hurt! He's going to get _killed."_ Caitlyn's hands barely missed Vi's nose as she continued waving them around angrily.

"Actually," Ezreal interjected, "He's not wanted. No one's ever been able to connect him to anything. Remember? You just have a vendetta." He said nervously. He knew it wouldn't calm Caitlyn's frenzy, but he couldn't bear to hear lies about Talon being told to his face. Caitlyn stopped dead, staring at Ezreal in disbelief.

"You're actually _defending_ him?" She shrieked. Ezreal flinched back at the volume of her voice. Vi grabbed Caitlyn around the shoulders to prevent her from advancing on the boy. "What's wrong with you? He's a _criminal_!" Caitlyn yelled. Ezreal started to tear up. He always got emotional like this when he was angry. The tears threatened to spill over onto his cheeks.

"He doesn't even like me, okay?" He snapped. A few tears dripped down his skin. He felt lonely and sad. He felt attacked by Caitlyn's anger. "He left me alone in an inn. He doesn't even like me..." Ezreal wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Caitlyn pulled back, seeing that she'd gone too far.

"But, he slept with you. How could he not like you?" She asked. Ezreal looked up at her through tears. Vi released Caitlyn and the older woman pulled Ezreal into a hug. She gently patted Ezreal's hair.

"It was just for sex, a one night stand," Ezreal muttered miserably. He wanted Talon to like him and want to be around him.

"Maybe you should clear up any misunderstands with him, then." Caitlyn offered. She wanted Talon to reject Ezreal firmly so that the boy could move on from his little crush and find a better, healthier love affair that operated within the confines of the law.

"Yeah!" Ezreal sniffled, but he smiled up at Caitlyn. "I can go find Talon and talk to him and get a better understanding of what he wants." He pulled out of Caitlyn's hug and bounded off into his bedroom to change into something more appropriate.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Vi collapsed into hysterical laughter. Caitlyn stared at her, slack-jawed.

"You're not worried at all?" She said. Vi shook her head, unable to answer as she kept laughing, "Maybe you're right. Maybe Ezreal needs to ride this one out on his own." Caitlyn frowned. She didn't like the idea of Ezreal running off with a Noxian assassin. But, truthfully, he was an adult and she couldn't really stop him.

Ezreal peeled his clothes off. He hated wearing fancy clothes and only put them on if he absolutely had to. He searched through his closet. Most of what he wore would be considered Piltoveran street fashion and would probably make him stand out terribly in Noxus, but it made him feel good about himself. So he weighed his options. He had the Noxian cloak which would cover most of his body and prevent him from looking too unusual.

Ezreal picked out a loose black and white t-shirt with a Hexplosives design and some black skinny jeans, he finished off the outfit with a few belts hanging off his waist and a black vintage vest that he left open. He knew that dressing like this would attract attention in Noxus, but he couldn't help but feel attractive as he looked at himself in the mirror. He grabbed a comb and combed his hair into place, a dash of hairspray to hold it down was all the look needed. He wrapped the cloak around his shoulders and twirled in front of his mirror. He wondered what Talon was doing, if Talon was thinking of him in the same way. He didn't think so, but in his mind, he could pretend that it was so.

But it was so, Talon paced around the Du Couteau mansion. He'd come to visit Katarina to report that he'd taken Ezreal out. He didn't plan on giving much detail as he really wanted to go to his own home but Katarina was having none of that. Darius had also stopped by during their conversation to talk to Katarina about some diplomatic errands, but quickly found himself suckered into the conversation by Katarina's charm.

"C'mon Talon, you gotta cough up the details," Katarina said, a sly smile having overtaken her features. Talon's arms were crossed as he sat with his feet up on the table. Katarina had been at him for an hour and his patience was wearing thin.

"My sex life is none of your business." He said sharply. He immediately regretted his words and he saw a grand smile cross Katarina's face. Darius raised an eyebrow as well. He'd been found out.

"Sex life?" Katarina said happily, "You had sex? Are you gonna go out again? When's the wedding?" Katarina looked over the moon as she spoke. Talon leaned forward and flicked her on the head.

"It was a _one night stand_." He hissed, "It will _never_ happen again. I just had sex with him so he would leave me alone." Talon casually scratched the inside of his ear with his pinky. Katarina's cheerful demeanour didn't falter at all.

"Oh, Talon. He really likes you. Having sex with him won't make him go away." She laughed. Talon shrugged. Despite his harsh words, he couldn't keep the explorer out of his thoughts. He'd been kissed before, never really liked it. But with Ezreal it was different. Each kiss felt like it ignited a small fire in Talon's chest. He felt like he could get high off of kissing the blond.

"Having sex with him will probably make him more infatuated with you," Darius scoffed, "How irresponsible." Katarina leaned across the table, getting really up in Talon's personal space. Talon stared at her blankly.

"What do you want?" He snapped. Katarina grinned at him.

"How was the sex?" She asked. Talon and Darius both turned her, completely shocked by her behaviour. She had no shame at all. Talon pushed her back into her seat.

" _None of your fucking business._ " He said, returning her cheery smile sarcastically. Katarina covered her mouth with her fingers.

"So it was _really good_ , huh?" She mused. Darius cleared his throat and both Du Couteau siblings turned to look at him. He opened one eye, clearly annoyed that what was meant to be a short visit mainly about business had become a discussion on Talon's sex life.

"Perhaps, if you don't wish to continue seeing Ezreal. You should reject him more firmly." Darius suggested. Talon sighed heavily, throwing his head back in annoyance.

"You think I haven't tried? I only went out with him because _this cunt_ ," He gestured to Katarina, who gave him a quick peace sign, "Was going to give him all the information he needed to stalk me."

"Maybe you should date him then!" Katarina quipped. Talon could have slapped her. He had less than no interest in being in a dating relationship with anyone, let alone some so annoying as Ezreal.

"Absolutely not. Never. There's not enough gold in the world to make that happen." Talon said. Katarina giggled as he spoke. Talon shot her a nasty glare, "What?"

"Thou doth protest too much, methinks." Katarina snickered. Talon's glare somehow intensified as she spoke. He sighed angrily and glanced at Darius for support. Darius had his eyes closed and seemed to just be waiting for the siblings to cease quarreling so he could speak to Katarina.

"Whatever. I'm leaving." Talon announced and stood up. Katarina looked like she wanted to protest, but Darius cleared his throat again and she stopped. Katarina waved to Talon as he left without a word and turned to Darius.

Talon left the Du Couteau mansion in a huff. It had gotten late and he hadn't even realised. He made his way to his favourite bar with every intention of getting drunk, getting laid, and putting a certain blond explorer out of his mind for good. He scanned the bar, looking for a hookup. Preferably, someone foreign who wouldn't remember him. He locked eyes with an attractive blond guy sitting at the bar.

Talon sauntered over to him and slid onto the stool next to him. The guy smiled at Talon and leaned a little bit closer to the assassin.

"New around here?" Talon asked. As he looked at his conversation partner, he found himself thinking back to Ezreal. He tried to purge the young man from his thoughts, but couldn't seem to get the boy out of his head completely.

"I'm only here for tonight." The man across from him responded. To Talon, this was a perfect situation. A real no-strings-attached hook up was what he needed to get Ezreal off his mind. "I'm Albyn." Talon leaned his elbows on the bar, pretending to seem interested.

"That's a nice name." He said, his mind still clouded with thoughts of Ezreal. As if on cue, Ezreal walked through the door of the bar. Talon's eyes widened. He really didn't expect Ezreal to come looking for him and truthfully he wanted nothing more than for Ezreal to leave him alone. "Excuse me for a moment," Talon said and walked over to Ezreal.

"Talon!" Ezreal exclaimed as Talon approached him. Talon looked angry, more than angry, furious even. Ezreal lowered his head a little bit, ashamed of his stalking. "I, um, I wanted to talk!" Talon looked down at him, scowling.

"Look, Ezreal," He snapped, "I'm not looking for anything serious or committed. I just wanted to have sex with you, no strings attached, and I don't think you can do that kind of long-term arrangement." Talon sighed. Ezreal puffed out his cheeks and put his hands on his hips.

"Don't underestimate me!" Ezreal was sure that he definitely _did not_ want a casual sex relationship but he was too stubborn and too eager to show Talon how strong he was. "I can _totally_ do that." The grin that spread across Talon's face could only be described as 'shit-eating'.

"Oh, really?" Talon leaned close to Ezreal, searching his eyes for any hint of self-doubt. Ezreal held his breath, trying desperately to hide the sadness that he felt, "Okay, then. I'll talk to you later." Talon walked back to his conversation partner and quietly apologised for leaving so abruptly.

Ezreal looked around the bar sadly. He hopped onto a bar stool a little ways away from Talon and his friend. He did his best not to stare but found himself sneaking glances as often as he could. He wished Talon would pay attention to him but he couldn't seem needy now. The bartender gave Ezreal a pitying look and slid him a Sex on the Beach.

"This one's on the house." The bartender said softly. Ezreal picked up the drink, wondering if he should try to understand Talon by chugging drinks the way the assassin did. He tried to drink as much as he could without breathing but found himself coughing with tears in his eyes.

An older man, no younger than fifty, meandered up to the bar and sat down next to Ezreal. Ezreal couldn't turn away as he wanted to look over at Talon. He waved nervously at the man who had begun staring at him intently.

"Hey there, beautiful. Name's Lazarus." The man drawled. Ezreal did all he could not to actually make a face at being called 'beautiful' by this...this _creature_. Lazarus reached out to try and touch Ezreal's hand which was resting on the bar. Ezreal pulled his hand back quickly. He was scared, frightened even. Noxus was home to a lot of scary people. Would he be stabbed for rejecting this man's advances?

"Uh, hi." Ezreal held his drink close to his body with both hands. Lazarus licked his lips as he looked Ezreal up and down. Ezreal felt like there was something crawling over his skin. He shuddered and glanced over at Talon again. Talon looked bored out of his mind as he talked to his friend.

Talon was completely zoned out of his conversation, not even half listening. Albyn was easily in the top four most boring people Talon had ever come across. Without even thinking, he glanced over at Ezreal and was immediately concerned and angry. Lazarus was well known in this bar for preying on younger men and there was no way he _wasn't_ trying to capitalize on Talon's rejection of Ezreal. Ezreal looked more than a little afraid as Lazarus moved even closer into Ezreal's personal space. Talon felt a rush of adrenaline that he'd never before experienced. He apologized to Albyn again and stalked over to where Ezreal was sitting, a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Lazarus." Talon's voice sounded even _more_ menacing than usual. Ezreal looked up at Talon. Did Talon _know_ this man? Talon slung his arm around Ezreal's shoulders and in a flash he was pointing a knife at Lazarus. "I _swear to the gods,_ if you so much as _look_ at this boy again, I will rip your beating heart out of your chest."

Lazarus backed up. It seemed even the layman knew the power of the Du Couteau family and he had no interest in simply disappearing. Ezreal couldn't help but stare at Talon as he sheathed the knife on his thigh. Talon was saving him again and Ezreal was mesmerised by his merciless demeanour. Lazarus slunk away like a dog that had been scolded by its owner and Talon pulled Ezreal off the bar stool he was sitting on and lead him outside.

"T-Thank you...for that." Ezreal sputtered. Talon just sighed and scratched the inside of his ear with his pinky.

"I didn't get laid because of you." Talon griped. He was keenly aware of what Ezreal wanted and he didn't want to admit he wanted it just as bad, maybe worse. Without the alcohol, he had nothing to blame for these bizarre feelings he had for the explorer. Ezreal shuffled his feet and squirmed uncomfortably.

"You could...sleep with me..." He suggested, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground. He didn't want to see Talon's face as he made the offer. Suddenly, Talon grabbed Ezreal's chin and tilted his head upwards. Without a delay, Talon captured Ezreal's lips hungrily. Ezreal almost stumbled backwards in surprise. Talon caught him easily with one arm and held him up. Ezreal relaxed into Talon's touch without any hesitation. His arms wound around Talon's neck. Talon hummed his approval into Ezreal's mouth and wrapped his arms around Ezreal's waist.

Talon pulled Ezreal into his body at the hips. Ezreal melted into Talon's grip, a fierce blush taking over his face. Talon pulled away and grabbed Ezreal's wrist. He quickly pulled Ezreal into the inn across the street from the bar again. Hawthorne took one look at them and pulled an excited and shocked face.

"Welcome back, boys!" Hawthorne said, looking at the two quizzically, "So nice to see you again!" Talon took some money out of his pocket and threw it on the counter. He dug into another pocket and pulled out a gold coin.

"I will give you one gold coin to _shut your god damned mouth_." He flicked the gold coin at Hawthorne who pulled out another condom and some more lube. Talon snatched the items from Hawthorne and Hawthorne happily picked up his gold coin and handed them a key. Talon looked at the key fob then swung Ezreal around so the blond's back faced the hall.

Talon pressed his lips to Ezreal's and gently backed the boy down the hall. Ezreal allowed himself to be steered down the hall, too consumed by kissing Talon to even pay mind to what might be behind him. Talon reached out and steadied Ezreal, turning his attention to the door next to them. He swung the door open and pushed Ezreal inside.

Talon wrapped his arms around Ezreal and lightly kissed the back of Ezreal's neck. Ezreal practically jumped out of his skin. The feeling was so intense that he briefly wondered if he could orgasm from that stimulation alone. Talon closed the door behind them.

Ezreal knew that this moment, every movement here, was crucial. He _knew_ he looked hot in his outfit and the reveal was _paramount_. He twirled around daintily and smoothly unfastened the cloak. He let the cloak drop to the floor around his feet and shifted his weight onto one foot, letting his hips angle very slightly to one side.

Talon stared Ezreal down like a cat stalking a mouse. The boy looked much more relaxed in these clothes than in his adventuring or diplomat clothes and truth to be told, as strange as the idea of fashion was to Talon, he had to admit Ezreal cleaned up pretty nicely. Talon advanced into Ezreal's personal space and slipped his fingers under the waistband of Ezreal's jeans.

"That's a good look for you," Talon whispered, "I bet it would look even better on the floor." Ezreal felt a twinge of pride. Talon thought he was attractive! Talon slipped the vest off of Ezreal's shoulders and discarded it.

Talon's mind whirled. He'd...never really complimented anyone before. It felt strange to be so hot and bothered by something as simple as someone's outfit. Talon undid the loose hanging belt on Ezreal's waist and tossed it to the side. His hands slipped up Ezreal's shirt, ghosting over the boy's milky white skin. Talon leaned and kissed Ezreal hotly. He slowly backed Ezreal up until the boy tripped over the bed and fell back into it.

Ezreal extended his arms up towards Talon, craving the older man's touch. Talon leaned down and lifted the hem of Ezreal's shirt, revealing his navel. Talon pressed his lips to Ezreal's stomach, licking and sucking at the soft skin. Ezreal placed his hands on Talon's head, pulling him closer. Talon's fingers worked deftly on Ezreal's pants. In seconds, he had Ezreal's pants on the floor next to the bed.

Ezreal shuddered as Talon continued to tease his stomach. He felt Talon's teeth just barely scrape his skin and he jumped, his body reacting violently to the stimulation. Talon moved the hem of Ezreal's shirt up a little bit more and closed his lips over Ezreal's nipple. Ezreal inhaled sharply, shaking with arousal, as Talon's tongue swirled around his nipple.

Ezreal lifted Talon's shirt up and Talon slid out of it. Ezreal was so horny he couldn't even speak, all that came out of his mouth was soft, breathy moans as he grinded against Talon. He wanted Talon inside him, but simultaneously didn't want to rush things. Talon pulled his boxers off and tossed them any which way in one smooth motion.

Talon laid down on the bed and motioned for Ezreal to get on top of him. He unbuttoned his pants and pulled his cock out through his fly. Ezreal straddled Talon, pressing his ass crack to Talon's hard cock. Talon bit his lip and grabbed Ezreal's hips, he rubbed his cock against Ezreal's ass. Even the boy's ass crack was smooth and soft. Ezreal's shirt fell over his hips, just barely obscuring Talon's view of what was going on. As Talon looked up at Ezreal in his long t-shirt, he felt inconceivably attracted to how innocent he looked perched up on Talon's hips.

Talon reached for the condom but Ezreal grabbed his hand. Ezreal held Talon's hand up to his face and nuzzled it gently. He looked at Talon with the biggest, sweetest, most beautiful doe eyes he could muster in his state.

"Hey, what if...what if we didn't use a condom?" Ezreal batted his eyelashes at Talon. Talon stared up at Ezreal in wonder and disbelief. He'd never even entertained the idea of sex without a condom before, but yet when Ezreal pleaded so cutely, he felt compelled to comply with the boy's demands.

Ezreal pouted. He hadn't had much sex himself and definitely had never had sex without a condom, but he wanted to feel closer to Talon and he wanted Talon to feel closer to him.

Talon acknowledged that it was a stupid idea to have sex without a condom. In all his years, he'd never gone without, but this felt different. Ezreal's eyes bore into his soul. The boy's voice made Talon's heart skip a beat. Talon cursed inwardly. He wasn't even drunk this time and he definitely wasn't ready to face...whatever this was.

"Please, Talon? I want to do this with you." Ezreal's voice quivered nervously. Talon had met his match. Ezreal's innocent puppy dog eyes were something he just couldn't find it in him to disobey. What _was_ this feeling? He didn't even pretend to understand what he felt when he looked at Ezreal. He just knew that it was a new, uncomfortable feeling.

"...Just this once." Talon relented. Ezreal smiled, and Talon felt like his world lit up in colour for the first time. Ezreal leaned down and kissed Talon. Talon's eyes slipped closed and he tentatively wrapped his arms around Ezreal's shoulders. Ezreal rested his weight on his elbows and absently twirled a lock of Talon's hair around his finger.

Talon's cock twitched against Ezreal's ass. The blond gently grinded his body against the assassin's cock, teasing him slowly. Talon moaned into Ezreal's mouth, letting his tongue swipe along Ezreal's bottom lip. Ezreal parted his lips and their tongues clashed, but it was different this time. Talon seemed nervous and less domineering. Ezreal picked up the bottle of lube and slicked Talon's cock with the fluid.

Ezreal pulled away from Talon and leaned up. He positioned himself over Talon's cock so that he could just feel the tip pressing against his hole. He covered his face, embarrassed. He looked at Talon, his eyes full of innocent desire.

"This is my first time...without a condom..." Ezreal whispered. Talon wasn't about to admit the same but for some reason, that little comment spurred him on. He steadied Ezreal, holding the boy's hips. Ezreal's hole was still loosened from the day before, so Ezreal didn't feel any pain as he lowered himself onto Talon's cock. His breath came in short gasps and he covered his eyes, unable to look at Talon.

Talon bit his lip to suppress a loud moan. He'd never felt so connected to someone he was having sex with. He knew it was more than just the lack of the condom, but he put that thought out of his mind and tried to focus on the moment. Talon reached up and moved Ezreal's hands away from his face. Ezreal didn't resist but just looked away bashfully.

Hesitantly, Ezreal started to move his hips. His eyes flew open wide as he clenched down on Talon's cock lightly. He moaned loudly, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Ezreal rested his hands on Talon's stomach for more leverage.

Talon's finger dug into Ezreal's hips. The older man gripped his lover as if he would disappear if he didn't. Ezreal bit his lip to suppress the loud, breathy moans escaping him, but it only muffled the sound a little bit.

Talon bucked his hips upwards, desperate to feel even closer to Ezreal. His moans were raspy and strained as he thrusted up into Ezreal. Talon grabbed Ezreal's hands and held them up in front of him to give the boy more stability as he rode him. Ezreal was biting his lip so hard that it began to hurt. He wondered if he might accidentally break the skin if he kept up with what he was doing.

Talon was a bit annoyed that his view of Ezreal's lower half was obscured by the shirt Ezreal was wearing. For some reason he couldn't explain, he wanted to witness the sin they were committing.

"Hey," Talon rasped, "Hold your shirt in your mouth." Ezreal slowed down for just a moment to pick the hem of his shirt up and place it between his teeth. Talon's breath caught in his throat as Ezreal took his hand again and started to move. The beautiful swath of milky white skin reflected the moonlight as it shone through the window. In this light, Ezreal looked positively radiant.

Talon moved his hands under Ezreal's shirt, caressing the soft skin as he moved Ezreal up and down on his cock. Having sex with Ezreal felt so good that he felt like he was losing his mind. He was drowning in the pleasing sensation of Ezreal's insides on his cock. Talon had never met someone he was so attracted to and the thought of it being Ezreal was uncomfortable to him, yet he couldn't stop. He wanted more of the boy. He wanted Ezreal to belong to him.

Talon squeezed Ezreal's hands and flipped him onto the bed. He climbed on top of Ezreal and kissed him. As Talon penetrated him, Ezreal groaned into Talon's mouth. Talon's tongue darted into Ezreal's mouth, swiping along his teeth and wrestling Ezreal's tongue into submission.

"Talon, oh gods, Talon more, please." Ezreal breathed. Talon stared into Ezreal's eyes. The moonlight lit up the boy's beautiful sky blue eyes. Ezreal stared back at Talon with such lust and adoration that it made Talon's heart jump into his throat.

Talon slowly moved his hips. The movements were deliberate and gentle, something Talon had never even thought of doing before. Ezreal's soft gasps were all he needed to know he was hitting the boy's sweet spot. Talon leaned down on his elbows and grasped Ezreal's hands, pressing them into the pillows next to the boy's head. Ezreal squeezed Talon's hands. The sweet movements, the soft touches, everything about this encounter made Ezreal's heart beat faster. For a moment, Ezreal swore, it almost seemed romantic and loving.

Talon watched the boy as the pleasure consumed him. Ezreal bucked his hips up against Talon's, licking his lips. In a flash, Talon closed his lips around Ezreal's tongue and sucked on it lightly. Ezreal moaned against Talon's lips, Every little motion rubbed the tip of Talon's cock against Ezreal's prostate, making every inch of the boy twitch with arousal.

Ezreal felt like he could burst from arousal. His body felt hot all over and his skin was so sensitive that even the sheets sent shivers up his spine. Talon had always assumed that slow, gentle sex would bore him to tears, but, as uncomfortable and unexpected as it was, he found that it was even more arousing than rough sex.

Talon kissed Ezreal, but it was different this time. The kiss was sweet and soft, it mirrored the feel of the sex they were having. Ezreal's lips moulded to Talon's. The blond smiled into the kiss, a sense of bliss filling his chest. Talon could feel Ezreal smiling and he felt his heart start beating a little faster. He cursed inwardly and tried to regain his composure, but it was hard when he didn't _really_ want to stop kissing Ezreal.

The kissing brought so many new feelings for Talon that it was a bit overwhelming. The only thing he really knew was that it felt _good_ and he didn't want it to stop. Ezreal squirmed underneath him. The boy's grip on Talon's hands tightened a bit with each thrust. The blond's moaning became more strained and frantic.

"You're so cute..." Talon purred. The compliment drove Ezreal wild. His body reacted strongly. The feeling was more intense than anything he'd ever felt. He shivered with the intense arousal. It felt like his insides would explode.

"Talon… Talon I'm so close…" He moaned. The vibration of the words in Talon's mouth was one of the most pleasing things Talon had ever felt. He hummed his approval and moved down to Ezreal's ear.

"Cum with me, baby." Ezreal squeezed Talon's hands hard. He bucked his hips up violently as he came. Talon felt his orgasm in his whole body. He pressed closer to Ezreal, leaning on the boy's shoulder. He could barely process the sound of his own strangled moans as he came.

Talon climbed off of Ezreal, the gravity of the situation only just registering in his mind. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked over at Ezreal. The blond lazily turned his head and locked eyes with the assassin. Ezreal smiled at Talon, still high on the bliss of their encounter. Ezreal's smile was the most beautiful smile Talon had ever seen and those beautiful half-lidded blue eyes pierced through Talon's soul.

"You're mine, okay?" Talon muttered, "If you do that with anyone else, it will be the last thing you ever do." Ezreal closed his eyes, enjoying the afterglow of their sex as he started to fall asleep. He pretended to not have heard Talon, but the man's words brought him a sense of joy.


	7. Chapter 7

Ezreal was not surprised when he awoke alone in the inn room. He stretched as best as he could without disturbing the blanket wrap Talon had so carefully constructed. Ezreal rolled over, cuddling up in the soft blankets. He knew he couldn't stay here forever, but it certainly couldn't hurt to enjoy himself while he was here. The blankets were soft and warm and reminded him of Talon and that was wonderful.

It was then that the sun streaming in the windows glinted off of something on the nightstand. Ezreal reached out of the blankets and picked the item up off the nightstand. It was another pin. This one was bigger than the one he had found on the cloak Talon gave him. It had the crest of Noxus and five stars underneath it with a pair of wings. Ezreal wasn't really sure what it was but he felt happy that Talon had left him something when he left.

Ezreal rolled out of bed and gathered his clothes up from off the floor. He dressed quickly and fastened the new pin he'd been left onto the cloak that Talon seemed to have gifted him. He left the inn after saying goodbye to Hawthorne, a spring in his step that had not been there the night before. He knew he was getting strange looks from the citizens of Noxus Prime but he couldn't help but feel good. He made his way to the border as the portals that the Arcanum Majoris ran were not active unless diplomats were expected to be traveling.

It was late evening by the time Ezreal got to the border. Ezreal got in line at the border. He didn't have any bags or anything that needed to be checked so it would be quick and easy to get back into Piltover. The line was moving quickly and soon it was Ezreal's turn. The border agent looked him over and laughed at a hearty laugh.

"This is the wrong line for you. Military citizens are over there." He said and pointed to the line designated for military personnel and those with military citizenship. Ezreal was confused for a moment before he remembered the pin. "Just remember to get in the right line next time, okay?" Ezreal nodded, pretending he had known all along and just forgotten.

The blond practically skipped through the streets of Piltover. He was walking on clouds. Talon _liked_ him. He knew Talon was a long way from admitting that he liked him but Ezreal could just tell. Talon had told Ezreal that he belonged to the older man. That had to count for something. Ezreal did a little happy twirl. He almost tripped over the hem of the cloak as it was far too long for him.

Ezreal burst into his flat. Caitlyn was sitting on the couch reading. She looked up at him, clearly more distraught than she let on.

"What's that Noxus pin?" Caitlyn asked, as astute as ever. Ezreal fingered the pin, smiling happily.

"It's a military citizenship badge, I think. Talon left it for me so I could get in and out of Noxus Prime more easily." Ezreal explained. Caitlyn's jaw dropped. This had all gone way off the path she expected and hoped for it to go.

"Military citizenship?" Caitlyn sounded afraid. As the diplomatic head of Piltover, she knew quite a bit about other city-states and how they worked. "He gave you _military citizenship_?"

"Uhm, yeah? By the way...what _is_ military citizenship?" Ezreal scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose. This was _such_ a headache.

"The Noxian military gives a sort of half-citizenship to foreigners who are close friends or family of military personnel. Basically it gives you more rights than a foreigner but still isn't as good as actual citizenship. Wait, that's not important. What's important is that you're fraternizing with assassins!" Caitlyn waved her hands around. Ezreal put his hands out, trying to calm her, but it was no use. "You're a _diplomat_ and even more than that you're a _scientist_ for the Arcanum Majoris! You can't be associating with assassins!"

"Talon is a diplomat too." Ezreal countered. He knew it would only anger Caitlyn more if he defended Talon but he couldn't help it; Talon _liked_ him. He even liked him the way that Ezreal liked the man back. Caitlyn grimaced.

"Acting like he's ever done anything diplomatic is a stretch," Caitlyn hissed. Ezreal couldn't argue that one, but still he wasn't going to give in to Caitlyn's wishes. He was an adult and who he 'fraternized' with wasn't in Caitlyn's control. "He's a _bad person_ , Ezreal!"

"Don't say that!" Ezreal shot back without thinking, "He...he rescued me from a creepy old man in a bar. He's not a bad person." Ezreal frowned. Caitlyn threw her hands up in the air. She stormed off to her room and Ezreal flinched as he heard her cursing and talking to herself as she thought no one was listening.

Ezreal went to his room as well and collapsed on the bed. He was tired but more than that he was missing Talon. Ezreal wrapped himself in the cloak he was wearing and smiled. He was happy to have something to remember his time with Talon by. He snuggled into the cloak contently. He pretended that the soft fabric was Talon's gentlest touch. Ezreal could still faintly smell Talon's cologne on the cloak. He found himself fantasizing about cuddling Talon. He sighed happily. He hoped Talon thought of their time together as fondly as he did.

Ezreal noticed that his computer was flashing with a notification. He got up and checked his messages. He had a message from the Arcanum Majoris summoning him from some archaeology and science or something or other. He sighed. From what the message read, it sounded like he had a busy few weeks ahead of him. He didn't have a way to contact Talon. Hopefully, the assassin wouldn't forget about him.

Talon sat in the great hall of his father's house with his sister. Katarina slammed her hands on the table and leaned into Talon's face, a look of shock on her features.

"You slept with him _again_?" The red-head shouted. "Gosh, Talon, that's a first. Are you guys getting married next?" She asked. Talon grimaced. He only came to visit so often because Katarina said she was lonely in the mansion all by herself. Truthfully, he didn't really care, but their father would have, were he not missing and so Talon came by to talk every day.

"Calm down. It was a one-time thing." Talon tried to counter. Katarina was having none of that though.

"That's what you said last time, Talon! You like him don't you?" She prodded, poking his shoulder. Talon's frown deepened, if that was even possible. He huffed.

"I don't." Was all he could sputter. He knew he was lying but he had to keep up the facade. Such feelings were looked down upon in Noxus.

"You do! I can see it! Plus, didn't you give him military citizenship?" Katarina asked, a sly smirk spreading across her features. Talon flinched.

"How did you know that?!" He hissed. Katarina laughed. They were both in the military but Katarina was closer to the other branches of the military than her solitary brother.

"Darius told me. One of his men was working border patrol and saw a curious looking blond boy dressed in Piltoveran street fashion with military citizenship." Katarina said, relishing in Talon's discomfort. Talon didn't have anything to say back. He couldn't say anything when presented with such clear evidence of his deeds. "Talon! Oh my gosh! My baby brother has his first crush!" Katarina was absolutely ecstatic, both at how uncomfortable Talon was but also at the new revelations to Talon's personal life.

"I'm _older than you_." Talon snapped. Katarina just cackled wickedly. Talon stood up abruptly and crossed his arms. "I'm _leaving_. _**Goodbye.**_ " Talon was grumpy, extra grumpy even. He didn't have any intention of facing his Ezreal-related demons, as much as Katarina wanted him to.

Talon went about the rest of his day seething in anger. He couldn't stand Katarina's antics and he didn't want to deal with his problems in any meaningful way. He just wanted to drink his problems away and pretend they didn't exist. That in mind, he made his way to his usual bar.

Talon scanned the bar, looking for anyone to talk to. His eyes landed on a cute boy sitting at a table by himself. The boy was dressed in foreign looking clothes, a perfect fit for Talon. Yet, as he stared, it became apparent to him that his heart was not in the chase. He almost growled at himself, angry that he was so...so...consumed by Ezreal's mere existence.

Talon found himself sitting at the bar alone, drinking a glass of whiskey. It's not that the men in the bar were any less attractive than normal. He just didn't _feel_ like approaching one. For some reason, it didn't make sense. It wasn't like he was waiting to see if Ezreal would make an appearance. He just didn't _feel_ like talking to anyone today.

Talon looked around the bar bitterly. He didn't like that the explorer was having such a deep effect on him. He shook his head almost violently. Ezreal was _not_ having an effect on him. Talon lifted his head, scanning the bar again. He felt fired up for a moment but then the feeling faded and he found himself anxiously glancing at the door.

Talon sucked down whiskey like it was water. He desperately needed to get drunk enough to sleep with literally anyone. He _had_ to prove to himself that he was _not_ under a spell, so to speak. He desperately needed to prove to himself that he felt _nothing_ for Ezreal.

Alas, no one seemed to catch his eye the way they used to. He acknowledged that some people satisfied the criteria he would usually go by, but they were not as enticing as they were before. Talon cursed mentally, physically, and verbally. He wanted nothing more than to put Ezreal out of his mind, and yet he could not.

Feeling sufficiently sloshed, Talon decided to make his way home, a first for him. He hoped to himself that perhaps Ezreal would make an appearance in the coming days, but perhaps the boy had lost interest and Talon had grossly misjudged the situation.

There Talon was, however, over the next days, sitting at the bar alone. The whiskey was good but it definitely didn't feel the same without the impending hookup. Talon glared at the bartender who was giving him a pitiful look as he drank his whiskey alone. He knew his behaviour was unusual, especially given his reputation but he just couldn't bring himself to sleep around so easily.

This was how Talon spent a few miserable weeks. He knew he had a diplomatic meeting coming up and he knew he could gauge Ezreal's reaction to him there. There was no need to seek the boy out when he would have him cornered in the middle of nowhere for "diplomatic" purposes. That was how Talon ended up sexually frustrated at a diplomatic meeting while being harangued by his sister.

"Talon, you can't just do things like that here!" Katarina hissed, swatting Talon's hand away from his ear.

"Oh, _piss off_. No one's even here yet!" Talon snapped, leaning away from his sister as he scratched the inside of his ear. For once, Noxus was the first group to arrive at the meeting. Swain sat quietly, ignoring the bickering siblings while discussing the plan of attack with Darius.

Slowly, other diplomats started to fill the hall. Talon watched the door out of the corner of his eye. The Piltoveran diplomats finally made their way into the hall after what seemed like an eternity to Talon. Ezreal was walking with them. The blond scanned the hall and locked eyes with Talon. The boy gave a small wave, much to Caitlyn's obvious dismay. Talon completely ignored the gesture, but secretly his heart jumped into his throat.

Ezreal sat at the desk occupied by the Piltoveran diplomats. The blond rested his chin on his hands, eyes trained directly on Talon. Katarina nudged Talon and leaned into his ear.

"Ezreal is staring at you, lover boy." Katarina whispered. Talon huffed.

"Uhm. No." Talon muttered back. Katarina looked between Ezreal and Talon.

"Uhm. _Yes_." She responded. Swain made a 'shut the fuck up' gesture at them and Katarina righted herself and smiled at the other diplomats. The mediator from the Arcanum Majoris cleared his throat, ready to start the meeting.

The meeting went about as poorly as expected. Just like every other meeting, it was dominated by Swain and Jarvan IV arguing about policy, specifically the policy of the bandits which had consumed the last four meetings.

"What would a _Noxian_ know about justice?" Lux spat. Garen reached a hand out to silence her.

"Don't talk to Lady Du Couteau like that." Garen said. Lux smacked his hand away from her.

"You're defending Noxians now? What happened to you?" She snapped. Jarvan sent her a harsh glare and that shut her up but she still looked unbelievably pissed off.

"You think that allowing these bandits to attack travelers unchallenged is justice?" Swain asked Lux directly. Lux crossed her arms and refused to answer, having already been scolded by Jarvan. "That being said," Swain continued, "Noxus requests permission to handle the situation on its own. Demacia has produced no results over the last four months. It is time each city-state take matters into their own hands."

Leaders of each city-state chimed in with their opinions on the matter. Citizens of every city-state were affected by the bandit situation and they all had differing opinions on how to deal with it. Dominating the conversation, however, were Demacia and Noxus, as usual.

Caitlyn looked incredibly annoyed as Swain and Jarvan went back and forth, arguing points they'd been arguing for four straight sessions. Caitlyn stood up abruptly. Everyone turned to look at her.

"There are more city-states than just Demacia and Noxus. These meetings are not held for only your city-states. All city-states have been affected and I think I speak for all of the other city-states when I say that your conduct is highly unappreciated." Other leaders murmured their agreement and Jarvan looked at his table awkwardly while Swain simply reclined into his chair.

"All right." The mediator finally spoke up, "Why don't we have a short recess and we will return in ten minutes and sort this out." Diplomats stood up and stretched. Talon made his way out into the hall. He found a secluded corner to relax in, enjoying the silence.

"Talon!" Ezreal ran up to Talon. He'd been following behind the assassin and had quickly found his way into the corner. Talon grimaced at him, "Sorry, I was so busy with work. I wanted to come see you."

"Don't talk to me in places like this." Talon closed his eyes and pretended to ignore Ezreal. Ezreal reached out and grabbed Talon's hand. Talon froze up and opened one eye to look at Ezreal.

"But we need to talk!" Ezreal insisted. Talon twisted Ezreal's wrist and swung him to the wall. Ezreal stared up at Talon nervously. Talon pressed his lips to Ezreal's before the boy could speak. The man's hands wandered down to Ezreal's rear and squeezed gently.

Ezreal burned with shyness. To be felt up in such a public and professional environment was something he had not expected. He moaned softly into Talon's mouth as Talon pulled his hips forward. Talon's tongue swiped along Ezreal's lips. Ezreal immediately captured the tongue, sucking on it hotly.

Talon pressed his body against Ezreal's, reveling in the tiny moans escaping the young man. Ezreal's arms wound their way around Talon's neck. The boy's thin fingers twirled a lock of Talon's hair around absently.

Talon jumped away from Ezreal as the sound of quick footsteps filled the air. Talon glanced over his shoulder. There was no one there and the footsteps were getting further and further away. Ezreal was staring off into the hall nervously. The recess was almost over and it was probably time to start heading back. Talon turned back to Ezreal. The assassin grabbed his chin and stole one last light kiss before heading off in the direction of the meeting room. Ezreal touched his lips, smiling to himself, and followed the assassin.

Ezreal sat down at the desk for the Piltoveran diplomats. He looked around the room. Someone had seen them, but who? His question was answered almost immediately. Lux glared at him with more hate than he'd ever seen in her blue eyes. Ezreal put his head down, suddenly very interested in what his shoes looked like.

Katarina leaned over to Talon and nudged him. She discreetly pointed at Lux who was still glaring Ezreal down like he was a war criminal. As Talon looked at her, she turned her head and glared at Talon. Talon almost laughed at what was really nothing more than a small, cute pet looking so angry.

"What's Lux's problem?" Katarina whispered. Talon started to put two and two together as Lux seemed to be unable to decide who she wanted to glare at more.

"She might have caught me...speaking with Ezreal." Talon snickered. Katarina shoulder checked him lightly.

"You mean sucking face, right? Don't lie. I saw you too." Katarina said half-jokingly. When Talon didn't respond, Katarina covered her mouth in surprise, "Wait, really? You were actually making out with Ezreal at a diplomatic meeting? And Lux saw?! Oh my gods, get me some popcorn." Katarina, despite her cool exterior, loved drama and she had a feeling that this meeting was about to explode.

"The Demacian military recently came across an unknown skeleton surrounded by weapons during a patrol." Garen was reading a statement that Talon suspected was not written by him. "Demacia requests that Ezreal come to Demacia to study the weapons, armour, and body that was found."

"No!" Lux nearly shouted. The entire room turned to Lux in shock. She quickly composed herself, "I mean, uhm. Ezreal's relationship with Noxus is too friendly! It's not safe for us!"

"Ezreal's...relationship...with Noxus?" Garen looked down at her, utterly confused. She nodded furiously and pointed to Talon.

"I saw them! I saw them kissing! Ezreal could be a spy for Noxus!" Everyone turned to Talon. Swain was looking at Talon in shock. Katarina had her hand on her chest, an amused smile on her features. Talon sighed.

"Well, there's a precedent for this, is there not? Have a Demacian chaperone oversee Ezreal's work." Talon huffed. A collective gasp passed through the room. Other diplomats murmured among themselves, glancing between Talon and Ezreal anxiously.

"If it will satisfy Lady Crownguard's anxieties, I have time to oversee the research." Shyvana spoke, breaking the nervous silence. Lux stood up.

"No! I think Jayce should do the research instead!" Lux protested. Jarvan put his hand on Lux's shoulder and sat her down.

"Jayce is not an archaeologist. It's foolish to let personal grudges get in the way of progress." Jarvan said sternly. "Shyvana will oversee Ezreal's research."

"Very well." The mediator spoke, writing on his notes furiously, "Ezreal, you will leave for Demacia tomorrow." Ezreal nodded. "Is there any other major developments?" No one answered. "Very well. This meeting is officially adjourned."

As the meeting dismissed, diplomats from every city-state chatted in hushed tones. Ezreal could feel all the stares on him. Jayce clapped him on the back and Vi rustled his hair as they walked by his chair. Ezreal got up and shuffled towards the door. Talon was leaving with Katarina but bid her farewell and walked over to Ezreal.

"Well, it looks like you can talk to me all you want now." Talon mused. Ezreal flushed and looked at his shoes. "What's wrong? There's no need to keep anything a secret now." Talon teased him.

"I, uhm, yeah..." Ezreal said. His nervousness melted away as he and Talon walked with the other diplomats. Ezreal was still hot and bothered from their hallway encounter. He looked up at Talon curiously, "Hey, uhm, I know it's been a while. Why don't you, uhm, come to my place?" Ezreal offered, a coy smile on his features.

Talon tapped his chin, pretending to think about the answer to Ezreal's question. Talon slung his arm around Ezreal's shoulders. Katarina wolf whistled in Talon's direction and he winked back at her. Caitlyn glared at Talon and grumbled to herself.

"Lead the way." Talon hummed. Ezreal smiled brightly at Talon and squirmed nervously.

"Can I hold your hand?" Ezreal put his palms together in front of his mouth, "Please?" Hearing such a pure and innocent question asked, it seemed like every head in the hall turned to look at them. Ezreal felt himself blushing a deep crimson as everyone stared at Talon, waiting for the assassin's response. Talon looked around at the other diplomats and cautiously took Ezreal's hand.

Ezreal stared down at their interlocked fingers. He felt giddy as he walked hand in hand with Talon. He heard a few 'aww's and he grinned to himself. He knew his relationship with Talon would make other city-states anxious as Noxus had made many enemies over the years, but he was ready to show that _he_ was not a threat to other city-states. If that meant working under supervision, that was fine with him. Ezreal squeezed Talon's hand reassuringly. He lead Talon through the portal to Piltover and onto the streets of the city.

Ezreal walked Talon through the streets of Piltover with his head held high. They weren't _officially_ dating, but they had semi-regular sex and were holding hands and that was good enough reason for Ezreal to show Talon off.

Ezreal lead Talon up to a high-rise building. The two entered the building and went to the elevators. They got in the elevator and Ezreal hit the "20" button on the panel.

"You live on the twentieth floor?" Talon said incredulously. Ezreal nodded.

"Cait likes to live below her means." He said. The two exited the elevator and walked down the hall. It was quiet and peaceful in the building and pretty posh. Ezreal stopped at a door and took out his keys. He opened the door quickly and lead Talon inside.

"Welcome to _our_ home." Caitlyn said through gritted teeth as they entered. Talon could tell her smile was as fake as it possibly could be but he paid it no mind. He didn't intend to spend the night.

"Don't worry. We won't bother you." Ezreal said, laughing awkwardly. He hurried over to his bedroom door and pulled Talon inside. He took off his shoes and Talon did the same. "Sorry it's kind of a mess-" He started but Talon cut him off by spinning him around and kissing him.

Ezreal melted into Talon's touch. He'd craved this feeling in the few weeks he'd spent working nonstop and he'd continue to crave it during his time in Demacia. Not that Talon couldn't sneak into Demacia, but that seemed like an awful lot to ask for.

Talon walked Ezreal backward until they were at the edge of Ezreal's bed. He pushed Ezreal down onto the bed and nipped Ezreal's bottom lip. The boy whimpered and Talon took the opening to shove his tongue into Ezreal's mouth roughly.

Ezreal wrapped his arms around Talon's neck and pulled the man closer. Ezreal's fingers immediately reached into Talon's hair and undid Talon's hair tie. The brown hair fell over Talon's shoulders and tickled Ezreal's skin. Ezreal combed his fingers through Talon's soft hair. It was surprisingly well kept and Ezreal loved the feel of it.

Talon hummed his approval as Ezreal played with his hair. Their tongues clashed and Ezreal found himself being wrestled into submission almost immediately. Ezreal found that the more they slept together, the more intoxicating the taste of Talon's tongue was. Talon's cologne was subtle yet it fogged Ezreal's senses with the warm, mysterious smell. He couldn't get enough of the soft vanilla scent.

Ezreal wrapped his legs around Talon's waist. He pulled Talon closer and Talon's knees buckled onto the bed. Talon climbed on top of Ezreal and grinded his hips against Ezreal's crotch. Ezreal bucked his hips up and whined. Talon pulled away from the kiss and stared into Ezreal's eyes.

"Shh..." Talon shushed Ezreal and nodded towards the wall they shared with the living room. Ezreal blushed and glanced at the headboard of his bed. Talon righted himself and picked Ezreal up off the bed. Ezreal blushed as he was lifted so easily. Talon placed him on the bed with his head on the pillows and parted his legs. Ezreal covered his face in embarrassment as Talon slowly undid his pants. Talon lifted Ezreal's hips and slid the boy's pants off.

Talon kissed Ezreal's inner thigh gently. Ezreal gasped as Talon trailed kisses up his thigh. The soft sensation made him dizzy with arousal. Talon palmed Ezreal's erection lightly. The blond bucked his hips up into Talon's touch. He wanted Talon to touch him all over. Ezreal bit his lip to muffle his moans as he humped Talon's hand.

Talon gripped Ezreal's cock, sucking on the boy's inner thigh. He rubbed his thumb over the tip of Ezreal's penis. Ezreal spasmed and nearly screamed as Talon toyed with his urethra. No one had ever touched him there and the touch felt like lightning in his veins.

"H-Hey, that's..." Ezreal couldn't even get the words out as soft moans rolled off his tongue. "That's... _sensitive_!" Talon smirked and continued to rub the tip of Ezreal's cock. Ezreal squirmed, chewing on the sleeve of his shirt.

Talon moved his mouth to Ezreal's cock. He licked the boy's boxers. Ezreal could feel Talon's tongue through the thin fabric of his boxers. He gripped the sheets in one hand while his other hand was occupied blocking his mouth.

Talon closed his mouth over the tip of Ezreal's cock. He sucked gently, swirling his tongue on the fabric of Ezreal's boxers. Ezreal's legs spasmed. The sensation of the wet fabric against his skin was orgasmic. Talon's fingers pressed into Ezreal's inner thighs. His thumbs drew small circles on the milky white skin. Ezreal's legs twitched and he was having trouble containing his moans.

Ezreal's boxers were sticking to his cock as Talon licked his shaft through his boxers. Talon's tongue moved up and down Ezreal's cock as the boy squirmed and squeaked. Ezreal's hips spasmed and he felt his clothed cock hit the roof to Talon's mouth. The older man hummed and Ezreal felt the vibration through his entire body. Ezreal put one hand on Talon's head, his fingers wound their way through Talon's hair.

"Talon...Talon, please," Ezreal moaned, "Talon, it's too much!" Ezreal whimpered, his fingers weakly trying to grasp Talon's hair. Talon's tongue ran over the very tip of Ezreal's cock and the boy screamed into his sleeve. Talon could taste a slight hint of precum as he teased the tip of Ezreal's cock through the boy's shorts.

Ezreal bucked his hips up involuntarily. He felt like his body was on fire. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he tried to keep up with the waves of pleasure as Talon licked his boxers. Ezreal's eyes were half-lidded and glazed over. He rocked his hips very slightly to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Talon hooked his fingers under the waistband of Ezreal's boxers.

Talon pulled back and slid Ezreal's wet boxers off his body. Ezreal whimpered as he was exposed to the cool air. Talon licked Ezreal's inner thigh. The blond shivered with anticipation as he reached out and touched Talon's hair. Talon grasped Ezreal's cock and slowly ran his tongue up the underside, tasting the sweet, soft skin as he did.

"Oh, Talon." Ezreal whined, twirling a lock of Talon's hair around his finger. Talon closed his lips around the tip of Ezreal's cock. He swirled his tongue around the boy's cock and teased Ezreal's frenulum with the flat of his tongue. "F-Fuck..."

Talon took more of Ezreal's cock into his mouth. His tongue didn't stop moving, lapping at Ezreal's bare skin. Ezreal's toes curled, waves of pleasure shooting through his body as his fingers twisted their way through Talon's long hair. Talon breathed in, creating a tight suction around Ezreal's cock as he moved his head slowly.

"Ah… Talon, that's really good!" Ezreal gasped, his voice rising an octave. Talon's tongue curled around Ezreal's cock as he bobbed his head a little faster. Ezreal couldn't contain his moans anymore as Talon gripped his hips and pushed his head down as far as it could go, letting Ezreal's cock hit the back of his throat with ease.

Without moving, Talon hummed his approval. Ezreal felt the hum vibrate through his whole body. He felt like his soul might actually leave his body. It felt so good! His pelvic muscles felt tight. He was so horny that it was making him dizzy.

Talon gently stroked Ezreal's lower back and hips as he sucked the boy off. His long fingers ran along the soft skin with care and maybe even affection. He moved his fingers up the boy's torso. His fingers ghosted along the boy's spine.

Ezreal bucked his hips up involuntarily as Talon caressed him. Talon's touch set him alight with a new kind of arousal. He felt that his heart might explode as Talon caressed his sides sweetly. It tickled a little but more than that, it shot a beautiful feeling into his body. Ezreal had been in relationships before. He knew what it was like to sleep with someone he liked, to be touched and given affection by a special person. But none of the sex in his past relationships had felt like this. This was a new feeling to him as Talon worked his way around Ezreal's body.

Ezreal's moans made Talon horny, _really_ horny even. He kept a map of Ezreal's body in his mind, making note of every spot that made the boy moan with abandon. He'd given up on being considerate of Caitlyn and had begun simply hoping that the walls were rather thick. He could taste Ezreal's precum as he blew him and found himself enjoying the boy's pleasure as he did. He pulled back and swirled his tongue around Ezreal's urethra, licking up the boy's precum.

Ezreal threw his head back, moaning loudly. Between the feeling of the sex and the feeling in his heart, it was all so new to him; he couldn't contain himself. Talon's head moved quickly, his tongue moving over the boy's hardness. He didn't want to cum so soon and seem quick or easy, but it was difficult when his body was being assaulted with pleasure.

Talon reached up and lightly squeezed Ezreal's nipples. The boy's body spasmed as he did. Ezreal felt like he was going to explode as Talon teased his nipples. As the pressure on his nipples increased, Ezreal couldn't hold back anymore. He came hard into Talon's mouth. The fluid coated Talon's tongue and he pulled back without swallowing.

Ezreal looked up at Talon through dazed eyes. The assassin leaned in and kissed him hotly. Talon's cum coated tongue pushed through his lips and Ezreal found himself engulfed in the taste of Talon's saliva mixed with his own semen.

Talon let Ezreal's cum drip from his mouth into the explorer's mouth. Ezreal wrapped his arms around Talon's neck and pulled him closer. He'd never tasted his own semen before and he felt this was the perfect way to find out what it tasted like. Talon pulled away, a soft smirk adorning his features.

"Don't you just taste great, baby?" Talon asked. Using the pet name immediately felt weird to him and he decided that, if pet names were okay with him, this one definitely wasn't. Ezreal swallowed hesitantly. He'd swallowed before, but never his own cum, and it was new and unusual to him. The mixture of saliva and cum slid down his throat easily. He blushed as Talon watched him.

"I, uhm, I think it was good..." Ezreal whispered. Talon sat back on his heels. "Let...Let me return the favour." Ezreal said, sitting up. He blushed furiously and shifted bashfully as he spoke. Talon raised an eyebrow and a devious smile crossed his features. He leaned in close to Ezreal so Ezreal could feel his hot breath on his ear.

"You gonna blow me, princess?" Talon whispered in Ezreal's ear. Ezreal blushed even deeper, if that was possible. He nodded nervously. Talon quickly kissed him on the cheek. He leaned back to sitting on his feet. 'Baby' might have been the wrong word, but calling Ezreal 'princess' just felt perfect to the assassin.

"H-Hey!" Ezreal suddenly felt very vulnerable and feminine. He looked down at the sheets. "That's...that's really good. C-Call me that again." Ezreal's voice was small, almost inaudible, but Talon's sharp hearing picked it up.

"Hm? You want to be my princess?" Talon whispered back. Ezreal nodded furiously, squeezing his eyes shut. He heard Talon undo his zipper and discard his pants, "Well then, you'd better get to sucking me off, _princess_."

Ezreal felt his heart jump into his throat. Being called 'princess' made him hot all over. Talon sat back with his legs spread. Ezreal peeked out at him. He wasn't sure if it was how horny he was or how nervous he was, but Talon's cock seemed dauntingly large from where he sat.

"Come on, princess." Talon taunted him. The assassin stroked his cock lazily. Ezreal licked his lips hungrily. "Put that tongue to good use."

Ezreal crawled over to Talon and nervously touched the tip of his tongue to Talon's cock. Talon gently stroked Ezreal's hair. Ezreal felt emboldened by Talon's sweet coaxing. He closed his lips around Talon's cock, trying to swirl his tongue around the tip the way Talon had.

Talon had gotten blowjobs before, but this, like many things with the explorer, was _different_. The feel of the blond's tongue against his cock sent fire through the assassin's veins. Talon ran his fingers through the golden locks, staring down at the younger boy as the blond moved his head up and down.

"Mm, what a good girl you are, princess." Talon purred. Talon's fingers tightened in Ezreal's hair. The dominance that Talon displayed made Ezreal's whole body quiver. Ezreal moved his tongue as he bobbed his head up and down. Talon's hands guided his speed very softly.

Ezreal's heart felt like it might beat right out of his chest. He applied as much suction as he could to Talon's cock as he moved his head. Talon's fingers raked through his hair as he moved, encouraging him to continue.

"Fuck, princess, why didn't you tell me you give such good head?" Talon asked, his voice husky and strained. Ezreal smiled to himself as Talon complimented him. Talon had always been such a quiet lover, it was nice to hear him open up. "Your mouth feels fucking amazing."

The compliments spurred Ezreal on. He moved faster, his tongue movements more deliberate and less clumsy. Talon let out a soft, content sigh. Ezreal pulled back and licked Talon's cock from base to tip. He looked up at Talon, making eye contact with the older man as he did. Talon bit his lip, a gasp catching in his throat as he stared down into Ezreal's eyes.

Talon felt something stir in his chest as he looked into Ezreal's beautiful blue eyes. Those deep sky blue irises drew him in like a drug and they looked even more beautiful when Ezreal had his mouth on Talon's cock. Talon felt his heart beating faster than usual and it had less to do with the sex he was having and more to do with the person he was having it with. That little fact was uncomfortable to confront. He had no idea what any of this meant or why it was happening to him. He just knew he never wanted to stop having sex with Ezreal. The warm feeling in his chest made the sex not just a lot hotter, but also more...beautiful? He didn't know how to describe the feelings he had when having sex with Ezreal.

Talon licked his lips as he watched the blond lick his cock. Ezreal slowly took Talon's cock back into his mouth, teasing the man slowly with his tongue. Talon chewed his lip as he watched Ezreal's mouth close around his cock. His body felt tingly and light as Ezreal sucked his cock.

"Ah, that's a _good_ girl, princess," Talon moaned. Ezreal felt heat rise to his cheeks as Talon complimented him. He'd never been called a girl before but when Talon did it, it was _hot_. He wanted Talon to praise him and compliment him and...and call him a cute girl. That was definitely new to him. He felt very soft and feminine as Talon spoke to him. He looked up at Talon without taking his mouth off the man's cock. Ezreal batted his eyelashes up at Talon as he moved his head.

Talon inhaled sharply. Ezreal was _so_ attractive and he didn't know how to handle it. The blond looked _so good_ with his mouth around Talon's cock that it sent shivers through Talon's body. As he looked up at Talon, the assassin couldn't contain his feelings for the explorer. He breathed heavily as his hands continued to comb through Ezreal's hair.

Ezreal tilted his head just a little bit and let Talon's cock hit the inside of his cheek. He grazed his teeth against Talon's skin as he did, eliciting a soft moan from the assassin. Talon twisted a grip into the back of Ezreal's hair. With the golden locks knotted around his fingers, he moved Ezreal's head. Ezreal did his best to keep his tongue moving and keep the suction on the older man's cock as he was moved.

Talon bent one leg under himself for leverage and slowly started moving his hips in time with his movements of Ezreal's head. He kept the movements shallow and slow at first, letting Ezreal adjust to being dominated.

Ezreal felt his body react. He was horny beyond belief and his hard cock showed how eager he was to please Talon. He tried to discreetly move one hand between his legs to touch himself but as he did he saw Talon's eyes flicker with amusement.

"Touching yourself, princess?" Talon mused, "Does sucking me off make you horny? Go on, please yourself like the good whore you are." Ezreal flushed with embarrassment but even more than he was embarrassed, he was turned on by the humiliation. This dominant side of Talon was just as good as the gentle side and Ezreal wasn't sure what he liked more.

Ezreal bashfully took hold of his cock. The angle was a little awkward while he was in between Talon's legs but he made it work. He stroked his cock as he moved his mouth over Talon's cock. Ezreal opened his mouth wide and let Talon's cock rest on the flat of his tongue as he tilted his head back. Ezreal let Talon's cock fall out of his mouth very slightly. Talon reveled at the thin trail of saliva between his cock and Ezreal's tongue. The boy looked so good with a mouth full of cock that Talon made a mental note to find himself in this situation as often as possible.

Ezreal pumped his cock rhythmically as he bobbed his head up and down. Soft moans resonated through his throat as he pleasured himself. He looked up and locked eyes with Talon. The older man was looking at him through glazed over, lust filled eyes. Ezreal felt his body grow hot as he had a silent conversation with Talon.

Ezreal's hand moved faster as he pulled back and licked all over Talon's cock. Saliva dripped from his tongue and down the side of his mouth as he did. He found himself thrusting into his hand as he continued to service Talon's cock.

Talon guided Ezreal's head with one hand, his other hand ghosted down Ezreal's back. The blond shuddered and squirmed at the touch, soft moans vibrating through his chest and into Talon's pelvis. Ezreal humped his hand openly, letting Talon's cock slide against his cheek. Talon guided his head back to his cock and gave it a light push, trying to convince the boy to go deeper.

Ezreal took Talon's cock back in his mouth and pushed his head down as far as he could go. Talon's cock quickly reached the back of his throat and Ezreal reeled back, gagging, and that sent Talon over the edge.

Talon held the back of Ezreal's hair, holding him steady, and came onto his face. Talon let out a strangled scream.

"Ezreal..." Talon moaned, "Gods, I like you so much." The second part was barely a whisper and given the situation, Ezreal wasn't sure he'd heard it right. Talon felt like he'd briefly left his body behind, an out of body experience, was it called? He gasped for breath, staring down at the beads of cum in Ezreal's hair and eyelashes.

Ezreal's eyes closed in surprise as the sticky strings of semen fell onto his skin and hair. When he was sure he was safe, he opened his eyes again. He leaned forward and rested his head on Talon's leg, his hips moving erratically, thrusting against his hand.

"That's a good whore," Talon murmured, brushing Ezreal's hair out of his eyes to get a better look at the prodigy. Ezreal groaned, his body betrayed how he felt inside. "Did you like that? I was just marking my territory." Talon whispered, smirking down at Ezreal.

Those words sent Ezreal over the edge. A hoarse scream ripped through his throat and he came into the sheets. A second orgasm ripped through his body, leaving him a squirming, screaming mess. He collapsed into the cum puddle on the bed, looking up at Talon through a mess of sweaty hair.

"You like me?" Ezreal managed to get out, albeit quietly. Talon froze up and averted his eyes. He scratched in the inside of his ear with his pinky anxiously.

"I, uhm..." He started but Ezreal made a sound cutting him off.

"No, I heard you say it." Ezreal countered. Talon looked uncomfortable.

"It...It doesn't mean anything." Talon muttered, keeping his eyes firmly away from Ezreal. Ezreal smiled to himself and curled up on his bed. Talon got up and started getting dressed. "I...I should go...before the portals...close..." Talon tried to make excuses for himself, but couldn't really come up with anything. He wanted to be close to Ezreal and he _did_ like the explorer, but that kind of vulnerability was at best new and daunting.

"Whatever you say, Talon," Ezreal teased him lightly, "Get home safe, okay?" Ezreal was starting to doze off and as much as he wanted to sleep in Talon's warm embrace, but he knew that was _way_ too much to ask for.

Talon slipped out the door and Ezreal heard him saying his goodbyes to Caitlyn. He knew Caitlyn would make sure that everything was all right, so he let himself drift into a warm, comfortable sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Ezreal left for Demacia the next morning. The journey would be long and he probably wouldn't find anything particularly interesting but it had to be done. Ezreal had gotten up bright and early. He theorized that the sooner he reached Demacia the sooner he would no longer have to be in Demacia and he could see Talon. Ezreal knew the portal to Demacia wouldn't open for a few hours so he decided to clean up and pretend he was a little bit professional before heading to Demacia.  
Ezreal crept to the bathroom he shared with Caitlyn. She wasn't up yet which meant that Ezreal had to be very careful not to wake her. He slipped into the shower and let the warm water wash over his body. It felt as if the water was washing away the sins of the night before, but yet Ezreal didn't want the feelings he felt for Talon to go away. Ezreal scrubbed his skin with soap, enjoying the silky soft feeling the soap left behind.

When Ezreal got out of the shower, Caitlyn had gotten up. She sat in the kitchen, sipping her coffee and reading the news on her tablet. She glanced up at Ezreal as he exited the bathroom and gave him a wave.

"You're up early," Caitlyn mused. Ezreal nodded. He was the type to sleep as late as he possibly could, whenever he possibly could, but he couldn't tell Caitlyn he was up early so that he could go see Talon sooner; she'd lose her mind. "Just can't wait to get to Demacia?" She laughed to herself as if she'd told a really funny joke.

"Oh, yeah. I'm hoping this corpse has something really cool." Ezreal lied. Caitlyn turned back to her tablet and Ezreal went back to his room to grab some things that he needed before leaving. He bounded out the door with a spring in his step. He was getting a jump on his research and soon he'd be back in Noxus with Talon.

He decided to stop by his normal tea shop on his way to the portal since he had some time. One cup of black tea with milk and sugar was the perfect way to start a research project. He stared into his tea, a content smile on his face. He noticed that the tea was almost the same colour as Talon's hair. Ezreal blushed and hid his face from no one in particular.

Once he was done with his tea, he knew the portal to Demacia would be opened. He made his way to the platform and swiped his gauntlet to open the portal. In moments, he was at the Demacian border. He passed the border check easily and was granted immediate audience with Jarvan IV.

"Ezreal! You're here bright and early!" Jarvan laughed. Ezreal smiled. He was glad that not everyong in Demacia was suspicious and angry towards him. "We're keeping the body and its belongings in the usual place. Let me take you there."  
Jarvan walked Ezreal through the halls of the castle. He chatted about nothing in particular as they walked towards the castle's morgue. Unlike other city-states, Demacia used plain old ice to preserve bodies so the air temperature dropped steadily as they neared the morgue.

"Sorry that you have to stay in the room next to the morgue. I know it can be a bit dingy." Jarvan said with a hearty laugh. Ezreal waved his hand dismissively as they entered the room that he would be doing his research in. The body was underneath a tarp in the center of the room. Ezreal would have to do an necropsy and then start searching for magic. "Well, I suppose it's time we part ways. Please enjoy your stay in Demacia to the best of your ability!" Jarvan said as he left Ezreal to his work. Ezreal shivered in the cold room. He made his way over to the table and set to work with the initial necropsy.

Meanwhile, Talon sat in the great hall of his father's home with his sister for his daily visit. Katarina didn't like living alone in the home but Talon was unwilling to move back in with her or even allow her to know where he lived.

"So, what are you going to do with Ezreal gone for a whole week?" Katarina asked, dramatically throwing herself on the table as if it would kill Talon to be away from Ezreal for a week or so. Talon raised and eyebrow at her antics and crossed his arms.

"I'm going to go about my day as usual." He lied. Katarina gasped, covering her mouth. She waved her hands in Talon's face.

"As if! You're totally not going to do that! You're probably going to just mope in a bar for a week until Ezreal is done in Demacia," Katarina said slyly, "Or are you going to sneak into Demacia to have sex with him?" She asked, a sneaky grin on her face.

"Neither!" Talon spat back. He knew he was lying and that she was probably spot on, but he had to save face. Admitting defeat to Katarina was just not an option. She was quick on the draw, though.

"So you're gonna sleep with someone other than Ezreal for the first time in a few months?" She asked, grinning even wider, if that was even possible. Talon grumped to himself as she spoke. He knew he probably wouldn't but telling that to Katarina would only give her more ammo to torment him with.

"I'm sure going to try." He lied again. Katarina didn't even seem to remotely take the comment as a truth. She just laughed as Talon tried to posture.

"Yeah, okay, big guy," Katarina laughed. Talon tried his best to ignore her ribbing, but Katarina was the one person who could really get underneath his skin, "I'll make sure to ask Hawthorne about your exploits!" She said, smiling. Talon crossed his arms tighter. He was never ready to deal with Katarina's teasing and the fact that he didn't really have any outlet to deal with it for a week meant that he would just be taking it lying down.

"I'm leaving." Talon snapped, standing up abruptly. Katarina waved to him happily as he stormed out of their childhood home.  
Thus, Talon spent a week doing most of his usual routine: Sleep, Assassinate, Drink. He had a few major targets from Swain that had to be taken out with great care and so, thankfully, the planning and execution of those nights took up most of his mental energy.

The week went by with very little fanfare. Talon spent less and less time at home as the week continued and more and more time at the bar, drinking his sorrows away. He wasn't sad or lonely so much as he was bored and that was really the kicker. He was never bored. Never in his life had he ever been bored and this newfound boredom was ruining every day for him.  
Every head of golden blond hair that entered his usual drinking establishment caught his eye but just long enough for him to figure out that they weren't Ezreal so he could back to his excessive drinking. How long had it been? Six days? Seven? Ezreal being gone had way more of an effect than Talon cared to admit.

Talon let his head fall onto the bar with a thump. He missed Ezreal. He missed...Ezreal? He...missed...Ezreal. It was an uncomfortable thought and he hated to think it, but maybe it was time to face facts. There was no quelling the fire if he didn't acknowledge the fire. What was wrong with him? Why did Ezreal have such a way with his heart? His heart? What kind of soft shit was he thinking now? Talon felt disgusted at himself as he thought about his position in life now. It wasn't that he couldn't find someone to sleep with. He didn't want to and that was weird for him.

"Talon! Are...are you okay?" Ezreal's voice pierced through Talon's psyche like a knife. Talon lifted his head, his eyes were unfocused and not used to the light after being covered for a bit. Ezreal leaned in close to Talon's face.

Talon moved with the swiftness of an assassin, but rather than stabbing Ezreal, Talon grabbed the boy and pressed his lips to Ezreal's soft pink mouth. Ezreal kissed back immediately, melting into Talon's hug. Talon supported the smaller boy against him as he kissed him in a way that Ezreal registered as being almost loving.

"I've been waiting for you..." Talon murmured against Ezreal's lips. He hoped it was too soft for Ezreal to hear but the boy was sharper than he appeared. He pulled away from Talon and put his hands on his hips. His smiled revealed just how happy he was to hear Talon say that.

"Oh? I thought you'd be having loads of one night stands with me gone." Ezreal said, grinning cheekily. Talon huffed and averted his eyes from Ezreal. He was thankful his countenance was impeccably trained because he felt very anxious about this whole concept.

"Well, I haven't been, obviously," Talon tried to be snarky but his words came out much more shaky than he wanted them to. Ezreal looked so pleased with himself as he heard what Talon had to say. "I just haven't felt like it. Okay?" Talon snipped. Ezreal grinned and shimmied up into Talon's business.

"Haven't felt like it?" Ezreal grilled him. He was so elated that he couldn't help but have a little bit of fun with it, "Does that mean you...like me?" Ezreal clasped his hands together. He batted his eyelashes at Talon who looked down at him with a look of scorn.

"Do you want to drink with me?" Talon was a bit tipsy and truthfully he wanted to be wasted. Ezreal's face lit up at the invitation. It was the first time Talon had ever invited him of his own volition to join him. Ezreal nodded vigorously and the two sat down together at the bar.

"Can I have, uhm, a Sex On The Beach?" Ezreal asked the bartender. The bartender snickered but set about preparing the boy's drink. Talon quickly found himself with another glass of whiskey as Ezreal happily sipped on his drink. "Demacia was a real bore," Ezreal started before looking up at Talon coyly, "Because you weren't there." Ezreal slurped up his drink happily while Talon raised an eyebrow as he drank his whiskey.

"Surely you had plenty to do with that body of yours." Talon said, finishing off his whiskey. Ezreal shook his head.

"Once I finished the necropsy, there really wasn't anything to do," Ezreal sighed, getting another drink. He stirred it gently with the straw, "It's Demacia. There's never anything interesting about Demacian corpses..." Talon raised an eyebrow again.

"I bet I could get you an interesting Demacian corpse." Talon said, smirking at Ezreal. Ezreal smacked his arm gently, laughing.

"I don't need you getting in even more trouble than you're already in." Ezreal laughed. Talon felt warm inside as he listened to Ezreal's laugh. The blond's smile made Talon's heart soar. Talon was definitely weirded out by how good Ezreal's happiness felt to him.

"I'm not in any trouble," Talon mused, taking a swig from his new glass of whiskey, "I do my job well, thank you." Ezreal was smiling ear to ear as they talked. They'd never really had a chance to just talk and while they were mostly having some tipsy banter, it felt really good to just spend time with Ezreal. Talon smiled and it was genuine smile.

"Hey! You're smiling!" Ezreal reached out and touched Talon's face. Talon leaned into Ezreal's touch, as weird as it made him feel at first. Ezreal seemed surprised by it as well. Talon grabbed Ezreal's wrist and pulled the boy in for a kiss. Ezreal smiled into the kiss as Talon gently cupped his face.

The alcohol, Ezreal found, made him much more bold than he was before. He nipped at Talon's bottom lip, running his tongue along the man's lips. Talon pulled Ezreal off the bar stool and onto his lap, letting his tongue wander lazily into Ezreal's mouth. Ezreal whimpered as he felt his body react almost violently to Talon's touch. He bucked his hips against Talon's torso. Ezreal put his forehead against Talon's and rolled his hips against Talon lewdly.

Talon heard someone wolf whistle in their direction as Ezreal continued to hump him. Talon wrapped his arms around Ezreal's hips, pulling the boy flush against him. He nibbled on Ezreal's neck, enjoying the soft moans coming from Ezreal's mouth. He hadn't been really keeping track of their drinking, but he could smell the vodka on Ezreal's breath and that turned him on.

"You wanna go somewhere more private?" Talon whispered in Ezreal's ear. Ezreal's breath caught in his throat as he felt Talon's hot breath on his skin. The blond nodded and slid off of Talon's lap. Talon stood up, throwing a satchel of coins on the counter. Talon reached out and grabbed Ezreal's crotch lightly, "What's this?" He cooed.

Ezreal blushed as Talon's fingers brushed against his semi-erection. Ezreal readjusted his cloak so that it covered his crotch. Talon grabbed his hand, Ezreal noted, rather than his wrist, and lead him out of the bar. Ezreal expected Talon to lead him across the street to the inn they normally stayed at but this time Ezreal found himself being lead out of the city.

"Where are we going?" Ezreal asked. He was very drunk and he needed to know he'd be able to get back to the border from where they were going. Talon tensed up and squeezed Ezreal's hand gently before speaking.

"My place." Talon slurred, smirking at Ezreal. Ezreal felt excitement bubble up in his chest. He was going to see where Talon lived! Talon was letting him into a very personal and private part of his life and Ezreal was elated to be in such a position.

The two walked hand-in-hand through the streets of Noxus Prime. Ezreal blushed down at his feet as Talon's bigger, stronger hand held his firmly. He felt closer to Talon than he ever had and he felt like he was actually making progress with the assassin, something he'd only dreamt of.

Before long, they left the main part of Noxus Prime and Talon stopped in front of a small house. He swung Ezreal around and pushed him against the door. Ezreal could practically taste the whiskey on Talon's tongue as Talon kissed him hotly, pressing him into the door.

Ezreal heard a click and the two collapsed to the floor inside the small house. Ezreal looked around the dark room. He was in a living room, and a small kitchen was attached to the living room. There were two doors in a small hallway exiting the living room.

Talon picked himself up off the floor and closed the door, locking it behind them. Ezreal dusted himself off and Talon was on him. The assassin's fingers hooked under the waistband of Ezreal's jeans. Talon gently teased Ezreal's hips. Ezreal pressed closer to Talon, feeling the assassin's fingers pressed into his skin.

"I have some more alcohol, if you wanna keep drinking," Talon said, tripping over his tongue in his drunken haze. Ezreal nodded extremely enthusiastically. Talon stumbled to his refridgerator and pulled a bottle out of the freezer. "Since you love those vodka cocktails, do you want to try a vodka shot?" Ezreal made a face and Talon flicked the cap off the vodka bottle. Without missing a beat Talon put the bottle to his lips and filled his mouth the the putrid liquid.

Talon pressed his lips to Ezreal's mouth and let the vodka pass between their mouths. Ezreal swallowed the vodka and though it burned and, frankly, tasted vile, it really wasn't that bad. That might have had to do with the means by which he took the shot.

The shot hit Ezreal's stomach and he felt fired up. He grabbed the bottle of vodka from Talon and filled his mouth. He kissed Talon hotly, letting the brunette drink the shot out of his mouth. Talon grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bedroom.

"Talon," Ezreal slurred, stumbling over his own feet, "Let me take a shot out of your belly button." Ezreal grinned at Talon, a devious and lustful glint in his eyes. Talon stripped off his shirt and laid down on the bed. Ezreal did his best to pour an even amount of liquor into Talon's belly button but he spilled some over Talon's side.

Ezreal put his mouth over Talon's belly button and slurped up the liquor without a care in the world for where it had been just moments before. He lapped at Talon's side, licking the spilled liquor off the older man. Talon sat up and pulled Ezreal onto the bed.

Talon had no trouble undoing Ezreal's belt and jeans, even in his drunken state. He yanked the boy's pants and underwear off in one swift motion. The moonlight seemed to reflect off the boy's skin as it filtered through the window.

"Put your hands on the headboard." Talon muttered. Ezreal complied, balancing on his knees as best as he could. He jumped when he felt Talon's tongue on his rear. "Don't move." Talon slurred before pouring the vodka down Ezreal's asscrack. Ezreal shuddered as he felt Talon's tongue move to lap up the alcohol as it slid across his skin.

"Did you just take a shot out of my buttcrack?" Ezreal asked, turning as he felt Talon move away from him. Talon nodded, licking his lips like a tiger stalking its prey. "Oh gods, that's so hot." Ezreal said. His tongue hung out of his mouth ever so slightly. Talon put the vodka on the floor and flipped Ezreal onto the bed. Ezreal gasped and in a flash, Talon's fingers captured Ezreal's tongue.

Ezreal blushed as Talon gently rubbed his tongue. Talon's thumb made small circles on Ezreal's tongue as the boy squirmed with arousal. Talon stared into Ezreal's eyes, admiring how the gorgeous blue irises were clouded over with lust. Ezreals hands found their way to his cock, absently stroking his semi-erect cock.

Talon's fingers dove into Ezreal's mouth, exploring the warm cavity. His fingers ran along Ezreal's teeth, feeling the pearly white bones. Ezreal closed his lips around Talon's fingers. He suckled the digits, his tongue moving over them as he did.  
Watching Ezreal pleasure himself was an erotic sight for Talon and the vulnerability that came with allowing Ezreal into his home amplified the effect. Talon's fingers played with Ezreal's tongue as the blond fellated the assassin's fingers.

It didn't take Ezreal long to be rock hard. The fingers in his mouth, gently toying with his tongue moved in such an erotic way that Ezreal found himself moaning softly as they moved. He bucked his hips up against nothing, craving more sexual attention.

Talon pulled his fingers out of Ezreal's mouth with a pop. The assassin gently prodded Ezreal's hole with his slicked fingers and pushed one finger in. Ezreal's tongue immediately popped out of his mouth. Talon captured the blond's tongue with his lips and sucked on the muscle as he pumped Ezreal's ass with his finger. Ezreal whimpered, his cock twitching ever so slightly as his ass was stimulated.

"Do you like that? You look like a needy little kitten." Talon murmured. Ezreal's body jumped to attention. He squirmed under Talon and batted his eyelashes up at the assassin.

"C-Call me that again...m-master." Ezreal whispered, covering his face in embarrassment. Talon was bewildered at first but found himself getting into it really quickly.

"You want to be my horny little kitten?" Talon asked. He pressed his finger against Ezreal's prostate, massaging the spot as Ezreal whined and squirmed. "If you're going to be so enticing, I guess I can't say no to you, kitten." Ezreal had never found anyone who had been willing to indulge him in this kind of play and he wasn't going to squander it.

"Yes, Sir!" Ezreal cried out, "Master, please make me feel good." He moaned as Talon added another finger to his ass. Talon's fingers scissored apart, stretching Ezreal's hole as the blond writhed beneath the assassin.

Ezreal calling him 'master' made Talon's heart nearly beat out of his chest. The blond only seemed to get sexier with every little fact that Talon learned about his sexuality. Talon kissed Ezreal's jaw, leaving a trail of kisses up to the boy's mouth.  
Ezreal moaned softly into Talon's mouth. His nails dug into Talon's back as the two intertwined their bodies on the bed. Ezreal could taste the vodka on Talon's tongue and rather than putrid it was tantalizing as their tongues weaved around each other. The blond was unbelievably horny and seeing Talon staring down at him intently made him feel hot and tingly all over.  
Talon pushed a third finger into Ezreal's ass, loving every little utterance the blond made. The boy's body was so warm and soft and Talon loved to feel the boy clenching down on his fingers as the explorer sought more pleasure.

Talon pulled his fingers out of Ezreal with pop and freed his cock from it's denim prison. He pressed the tip of his cock to Ezreal's hole, waiting to enter the boy. The assassin caressed the explorer's cheek and smirked down at him playfully, pressing his cock against the boy's skin.

"What do you want, kitten?" Talon asked. Ezreal whined and pressed his hips down against Talon's cock but Talon was happy to tease Ezreal slowly, "No no no, you have use your words, kitty cat." Talon tilted Ezreal's chin back with his finger.

"Oh, Master, fuck me, please." Ezreal breathed, batting his eyelashes at Talon, his body quivering with anticipation. Talon pressed into the boy ever so slightly and cupped his hand around his ear, "Master, please, take my ass!" Ezreal cried out, pulling Talon into a fierce kiss.

Talon pushed into Ezreal roughly. He grabbed the blond's wrists and pressed them down into the sheets. Ezreal moaned loudly. He shivered as a jolt of pleasure rippled through his body. Talon gripped Ezreal's wrists tightly. The boy's soft skin felt like it might bruise under the pressure.

Ezreal's cock twitched as Talon fucked him rougher than he'd ever fucked him before. It was so good that Ezreal could feel a bit of drool slide down his cheek. Talon's tongue violently dominated Ezreal's as they kissed. The taste of whiskey and vodka fogged Ezreal's senses as his loud moans reverberated into Talon's mouth.  
Every small motion felt like fire on Talon's skin. It might have been the vodka but Talon knew, even his drunken stupor, that it was more than that. He reluctantly pulled away from Ezreal to gaze down at the blond's body. The boy's shirt had fallen loosely to his chest, revealing his soft tummy and navel. Talon supported himself on one hand as he gently stroked Ezreal's porcelain white skin. Ezreal squirmed under Talon's touch.

"Tal-Master..." Ezreal whimpered. He felt hot all over. He was so horny that his thoughts were coming in small bursts. "It feels good. Please make me feel good all the time." Ezreal moaned, bucking his hips up against Talon.

"Oh, kitten, always." Talon murmured. He closed his lips over Ezreal's neck and nibbled, first lightly, but then began to suck and nip harder. Ezreal fingers spasmed with pleasure as Talon marked him hungrily. Talon pulled away from Ezreal's neck, smirking.

"Let everyone know I belong to you..." Ezreal breathed, nuzzling Talon. Talon recaptured Ezreal's lips as the boy spoke, nipping at the boy's bottom lip. Talon's hips slapped against Ezreal's rear mercilessly. Ezreal's breath came in short gasps as his fingers clutched Talon's hair like a lifeline. The blond stared up at Talon with lust-filled eyes. Talon felt he could get lost in the soft baby blue irises as he drank in the sight of Ezreal underneath him on his bed.  
The moonlight reflected off of Talon's golden eyes, making them seem to glow. Ezreal lay hazily mesmerized by the older man's eyes as Talon stared down at him.

"Everyone already knows that, kitten." Talon whispered. The words sent tingles through Ezreal's body. He felt heat starting to pool in his belly as Talon spoke. His soft pink tongue poked out of his lips ever so slightly and Talon immediately leaned down and captured Ezreal's tongue with his teeth. Ezreal whimpered and panted as Talon fucked him harshly. "Oh, kitten, I'm close. Your body is amazing."

"Ah, Master, it feels so good. I love it." Ezreal moaned, his fingers scraping down Talon's back viciously. Every thrust hit Ezreal's sweet spot, making his head spin with pleasure. The heat in belly was creeping downwards steadily as Talon had his way with him.

"Fucking you might be the best thing in my life right now." Talon panted. Ezreal spasmed. Without any warning at all, an orgasm rippled through his body, clouding his consciousness with a romantic high. Seeing Ezreal so lost in pleasure sent Talon over the edge too. Talon collapsed onto his elbows, a low whine escaping his mouth.

Talon rolled off Ezreal and set about searching for the blanket that had been kicked off the bed somehow. Ezreal yawned and looked over at Talon, an absent smile on his face. Talon picked up the blanket and wrapped their naked bodies up in the blanket on the bed.

"Hey," Ezreal slurred, still very drunk from the fun night they'd had, "I love you." He whispered. Talon tensed up. He'd expected Ezreal to use the big 'L' word eventually, but he'd had no time to prepare for this. Lucky for him, Ezreal had already begun to snore.

To Talon's surprise, he actually felt tired as well. Normally, he had difficulty sleeping with others too close to him, but he found himself feeling relaxed and comfortable with Ezreal in his arms. Even with Ezreal snoring, Talon found himself falling asleep, almost as if Ezreal's sounds were lulling him into slumber.

Ezreal's eyes fluttered open as the sunlight filtered through window. He squinted back the sunlight as the pain of a pounding headache hit him. He groaned and covered his eyes. It was then that the smell of food tickled his nostrils. He rolled off the bed and hit the ground with a thud. The blond dragged himself to his feet and stumbled into the kitchen.

"Morning." Talon deadpanned, not looking away from his cooking. Ezreal was amazed for a moment that Talon could cook, but before he could express anything, he felt an overwhelming urge to vomit. He made a mad dash for what he could only hope was the bathroom and made it as far as the sink before he emptied the contents of his stomach into the sink. The explorer heaved violently, even though there was nothing in his stomach and all that was coming up was somtach acid.

Suddenly he felt Talon's hands on his neck. The assassin ran his fingers through Ezreal's hair and pulled it back behind the boy's head. Ezreal felt comforted but couldn't really process any feeling as he continued to heave over the sink.

"So I take it that you're…not hungry." Talon said slowly. Ezreal leaned on the sink weakly, looking up at Talon. He shook his head slowly and tried to lift himself up. Talon wrapped an arm around Ezreal's midsection and supported the blond on his shoulder. "Don't push yourself." Talon said and walked Ezreal to the couch.

Talon quickly retrieved the fluffiest blanket he could find in his house. It wasn't really fluffy but he didn't really know what to do for someone who was this hungover. He'd never spent the night with a partner before so he had no idea how to care for a sick human. He collected a big pot and placed it in front of Ezreal on the floor, hoping the blond would get the hint.  
Talon wrapped the blanket around Ezreal's shoulders tightly and watched as the blond collapsed onto the couch in a heap. Ezreal sniffled and whimpered at odd intervals as Talon tried his best to comfort him.

"Hey..." Ezreal said softly, "I can't remember what happened last night..." Ezreal sniffed, "Did we...do something weird?" He asked. Talon froze up, but did his best to regain his composure. This might be a gift from the gods. If Ezreal didn't remember the night, he didn't remember what he'd said, and Talon could avoid giving any kind of definitive answer to the obvious question that came with it.

"Oh, no, nothing weird." Talon said, trying his best to sound calm and collected. Ezreal sniffled some more but seemed to accept the answer without much prompting. Talon quietly made his way back to the kitchen and continued cooking his breakfast.

Ezreal stared at Talon's back as the man did domestic duties that the blond never would have associated with the hardened assassin. It made sense in theory, Talon was a single man who lived alone, so someone had to do these things, but maybe Talon was the type to just live in squalor and eat takeout every night. Ezreal couldn't lie: this made Talon seem even more dreamy. After all, who didn't want a man who cooks and cleans?

Ezreal blushed to himself as he realised just how far into the pit of Talon-land he was. He had it bad and he knew Talon was the same, but he doubted the older man would admit it even if physically threatened. Ezreal looked at Talon's back quizzically, emboldened by his current position in Talon's home.

"Hey, Talon. Could we…could we date? Like, officially." Ezreal asked. Talon would have physically jumped out of his skin if he could have. He did his best to try to come up with a good response but he was just outright drawing a blank. "Maybe we could go on one date. Just to try it!" Ezreal said frantically trying to make a comeback.

In his heart of hearts, Talon didn't want to say no, but he, truthfully, had no relationship experience and he didn't want to make that Ezreal's problem. He shuffled the problem around in his head but could not come up with a solution by any reasonable metric.

"O-Okay," The assassin relented. Ezreal brightened up as much as he could in his hungover state. He clapped his hands together weakly.

"Jayce is having a party tonight! Please be my date to that!" Ezreal said happily. Talon sighed. He hated parties and a party wasn't really something he would look forward to, but he felt he couldn't say no to such an innocent request. Besides, parties meant alcohol and alcohol usually meant an okay time.

"Are you sure you're going to be up to that?" Talon asked, hoping that Ezreal would say no and suggest something else. Ezreal made a noise of affirmation and made his way over to Talon to wrap his arms around Talon's waist.

"Yeah, I feel better!" He said joyfully, "It'll be fun, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Talon chided Ezreal as he finished his cooking and turned to look at Ezreal, "So I take it you want this food now?" He asked. Ezreal nodded sheepishly and Talon handed him the plate.


	9. Chapter 9

"So what kind of party is this?" Talon asked sipping some tea as Ezreal excitedly explored all the things that Talon kept in his house. He didn't have many things but he had a few heirlooms that Ezreal was inspecting.

"Knowing Jayce, it's probably pretty posh," Ezreal said, not taking his eyes off the knife he was looking at, "You should probably look kind of nice." Talon grimaced. As a noble, it wasn't out of bounds at all for him to have nice clothes, but truthfully he hated wearing them.

"Won't I look out of place? Noxus has a different style than Piltover," Talon said. Ezreal tapped his chin and shrugged.

"Yeah, but knowing Jayce's usual crowd, you'll just seem 'exotic', I think." Ezreal sighed. Jayce's parties were usually filled with girls, tons and tons of girls, and he knew that it would put Talon out of his element, but Ezreal hoped it would be a good trial date. "Let me look in your closet," Ezreal said and clapped his hands together joyfully.

Talon flinched. He didn't have anything to hide but the thought of the blond going through his closet and giving him tips made him want to gag. Nonetheless, he found himself walking Ezreal into the bedroom and showing him the closet. Ezreal started to sift through the clothes, looking at each piece carefully.

"Hm, maybe this shirt with these pants and this jacket," Ezreal said throwing the clothes onto the bed proudly. "I may not look like it, but I know a bit about Noxian high fashion!" Talon raised an eyebrow at Ezreal and chuckled.

"Oh, you definitely look like you do." Talon snarked. Ezreal pouted and blushed as Talon continued to chuckle to himself as if he'd said something hilarious.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Ezreal asked, feigning annoyance. Talon shrugged and sighed as he looked at the clothes Ezreal had laid out for him. He didn't want to disappoint the explorer but Noxian high fashion was so...limiting. He always felt so stiff and restricted when he wore clothes that were deemed 'fashionable'.

Talon picked up the clothes and sighed again. Ezreal held up the clothes to Talon's body, trying to imagine what the clothes would look like on the man.

"Don't be such a killjoy. I bet you look super hot in these clothes." Ezreal coaxed Talon, hoping the older man would become more agreeable. Talon took the clothes from Ezreal and started taking his comfortable clothes off. Ezreal's mouth fell open as his eyes traced Talon's body. The older man was lean but extremely toned and muscular. Ezreal's eyes immediately shot to Talon's abs and he was immediately rewarded so much so that he felt himself start to salivate.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you it's not polite to stare?" Talon asked as he slipped his arms into the sleeves of the shirt Ezreal had picked out. Ezreal closed his mouth but found himself chewing on his lip. He'd never seen Talon's body in daylight before and it was definitely a sight to behold.

Ezreal reached out and touched his fingers to Talon's abs. Quick as lightning, Talon grabbed Ezreal's wrist and pulled the boy close. Ezreal could feel Talon's breath on his face as Talon got up in his face.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you to keep your hands to yourself?" Talon asked. Ezreal blushed and turned his head away from Talon slightly. Talon released him and went back to buttoning up his shirt.

The clothes looked different on Talon's body. The fabric wound around Talon's body snugly, smoothing out the outline of his body. The pinstripes on the black dress shirt made Talon look even leaner and the dragon design on the right cuff was to die for.

Talon stepped into the pants. They hugged his legs and, Ezreal found, accentuated Talon's glutes in a way that Ezreal just couldn't ignore. Talon walked over to the bed stand and opened the drawer.

"I'll let you decide," Talon said and pulled out a box of cufflinks. "They were presents from Katarina." He added. He was not interested in cufflinks in the slightest but Katarina cared what he looked like at major functions so she kept buying things for him in an effort to convince him to take an interest in his appearance.

"I think these would tie the look together," Ezreal said, picking up a set of cufflinks shaped like dragon skulls. "They go with the dragon on the shirt." Talon put the cufflinks on reluctantly and slid the jacket over his shoulders. He walked over to the mirror and looked at his reflection.

"This looks like something Katarina would want me to wear." He grimaced at his reflection. He was far more interested in practicality than the look of an outfit. Ezreal smiled to himself.

"It looks really nice, though! You'll be the life of the party!" Ezreal mused, grinning. Talon flinched.

"Or the death of it..." The brunette said darkly. Ezreal laughed awkwardly, hoping Talon meant that metaphorically but he hadn't spent enough time with the assassin to be sure of that.

"I have to get ready for the party too," Ezreal said and tapped his chin, "Why don't you come over and hang out?" He folded his hands in front of his mouth coyly.

"I feel like Caitlyn doesn't want me there." Talon laughed. Ezreal knew he was probably right but Caitlyn wouldn't do anything about it which was the important thing.

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her..." Ezreal said, smiling, "Come on, it'll be our secret!" He jumped up and down briefly. "I want to make sure our outfits match."

"Is that something that...people do?" Talon asked. Having no relationship experience and little real social experience meant just not knowing some things which had never really bothered Talon up until now. Ezreal nodded and grabbed Talon's hand.

"Please!" Ezreal did his best puppy dog eyes and Talon seemed completely unfazed by the action. Ezreal pouted but there was still no response from the older man, "I choose to take your silence as a yes." Ezreal dragged Talon out of the room and toward the door where their shoes were haphazardly thrown about from the night before.

It was late afternoon when they arrived in Piltover, leaving little time to get ready, but Ezreal had been thinking about his wardrobe the entire trip. He threw his closet open while Talon sat on his bed.

Ezreal sorted through his clothes quickly, holding up pieces before his full-length mirror. Talon noted that Ezreal was, not exactly neat, opting to throw the clothes that he rejected onto the floor and bed rather than put them back. Talon sat quietly as clothing items rained down around him.

Finally, Ezreal had decided on an outfit. He turned to Talon and posed.

"What do you think?" Ezreal asked, doing a little curtsy. Talon took in his outfit, trying to put what little knowledge of clothing Katarina had bestowed upon him to use.

"Uh, it looks nice," Talon said, unable to formulate a better response than that. Ezreal was wearing a black pinstripe shirt with a black vest. His black denim jeans were the tightest pants Talon had ever seen on another person and the blond was wearing two belts that were slung over his hips loosely. Dragon cufflinks tied the look together nicely but Talon didn't have the vocabulary to say anything meaningful about the explorer's outfit.

"Do you think I need a jacket too?" Ezreal asked, mostly to himself as it was clear that he'd have more luck talking to a wall than talking to Talon about fashion. "I think the jacket would be a bit much..." He continued, answering his own questions as they came up.

"Uh, what time is this party supposed to start? It's already seven o'clock." Talon said. Ezreal spun around and looked at the clock. He grabbed Talon by the hand again and quickly dragged the assassin out of the apartment.

"Crap, I wasn't keeping track of the time. Good eye!" Ezreal giggled. He led Talon through the streets of Piltover. As they walked Ezreal pulled out a small pouch. From that pouch, he produced a small vial.

"Is that...is that makeup?" Talon asked. Ezreal blushed and turned away from Talon a little bit as he pulled out a compact mirror.

"It's...it's guyliner, okay?" Ezreal said, frowning in Talon's general direction as he expertly applied the makeup without breaking stride. "Look everyone in Piltover does it, just because it's not common in Noxus doesn't mean it's bad," Ezreal said putting the eyeliner back in the pouch and taking out some mascara.

"I didn't say it was bad," Talon mused and took a big step in front of Ezreal and leaned in close to inspect the boy's handiwork, "It looks nice on you."

"Don't make fun of me!" Ezreal pouted. Talon raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "Wait...you weren't making fun of me?" Ezreal asked. Talon turned back around and walked in step with Ezreal.

"Young people in Noxus have been wearing makeup for years," Talon clarified, "If it makes you feel good, I don't see anything wrong it." Ezreal blinked. He'd known the rumors of Noxian society being rather inclusive and individualistic but he'd never spent much time with any Noxians, so he'd never understood the extent of it.

"You really think it looks good?" Ezreal asked, still feeling quite insecure about his choices. Talon shrugged.

"I'd fuck you," Talon said, completely deadpan. Ezreal blushed deeply and covered his mouth in embarrassment. Talon winked at Ezreal, leaving the blond speechless.

Talon noticed that the area of Piltover they'd entered was one he'd been to before. The houses were bigger, there were gates and accompanying buzzers. It made Talon a little bit uncomfortable to be in a place where he was accustomed to stabbing the residents as a passerby.

After a little walking, the two approached a large house with an open gate. You couldn't see the house, but you could hear the music. Despite how loud it was, the music sounded very posh as they walked up the driveway. It seemed like a long time before they came to the door and Ezreal buzzed the intercom.

"Jayce, it's me, Ezreal," Ezreal said into the intercom. He heard a hearty laugh and buzz and Ezreal pushed the impossibly huge door open. Inside the house was just as fancy and posh as outside of the house. The floors were white marble tile and the parlor had a second floor overlooking the main area.

"Ezreal!" Jayce greeted Ezreal warmly with a clap on the shoulder, "Glad you could make it!" Jayce turned to Talon and clapped him on the shoulder as well, "Talon! Nice to see you in Piltover for something good for once!"

"Don't touch me," Talon said harshly, swatting Jayce's hand off of his shoulder. Jayce just laughed and threw an arm around Ezreal's shoulders. Ezreal felt a little embarrassed by how blasé Talon seemed about the contact Jayce had with Ezreal.

"Can I get you guys some drinks?" Jayce asked, leading them into the parlor that was absolutely packed with men and women alike. Talon brightened up a little at the word 'drinks'.

"Do you have whiskey?" Talon asked. Jayce clapped his hands, summoning a robotic butler.

"Get this man a Johnnie Walker," Jayce said to the butler which beep-booped away to the bar. Talon seemed a little bit stunned.

"Do I have to pay you for these?" He asked. Jayce shook his head and laughed hysterically as if Talon had told a really funny joke.

"Of course not! It's all on me. No expense is spared for my guests!" Jayce said grinning. Talon glanced over at Jayce suspiciously as he took the glass from the robot. "What about you, Ezreal?" Jayce asked.

"Can I have a Sex On The Beach?" Ezreal asked. Jayce looked shocked for a moment.

"I didn't know you started drinking! What kind of vodka do you want in it?" Jayce asked, "Wait don't tell me. Get him a Sex On The Beach with Ciroc Ten," Jayce relayed to the butler who scurried off once more.

Talon eyed Ezreal curiously. He knew Ezreal had no sense of how much liquor cost as he'd never bought his own liquor, but Talon knew and the generous nature of his host made him suspicious.

After a minute, the butler returned with Ezreal's drink and Ezreal sipped it. He pulled back, clearly surprised.

"Does this...have alcohol in it?" Ezreal asked. Jayce nodded and Ezreal stared at it confused. "I can't even taste it."

"Two hundred gold vodka will be like that," Talon responded, sipping his whiskey. Jayce's face lit up.

"You know your liquors," Jayce said, throwing his arm around Talon's shoulder. Talon squirmed out of Jayce's grasp.

"My sister keeps calling me an alcoholic but I don't agree," Talon said coldly and shotgunned the remainder of his glass. Jayce plucked the glass out of Talon's hand and gave it to one of the butlers which assessed the glass and hurried off.

"The robot butlers can assess what liquor was in your glass and refill it for you," Jayce explained. Talon was briefly amazed by the technology available in Piltover but he returned to his gruff countenance as quickly as possible. "Well, I'll leave you guys to mingle. I'm sure you'll have a great time here."

Talon felt very out of place in such a large group of people who were clearly planning to socialize and he found his way to a corner under the overhang of the second floor. Ezreal followed him, more than happy to just sit in the corner together.

"Hey, boys," A voice cut through Talon's conscious like a knife, "Haven't seen you before, tiger." A girl walked up to them with her friends. She reached out and touched Talon's forearm flirtily.

"Yeah, you're not from around here, right?" Another girl in the group harped, "How do you know Jayce?" She asked.

"Oh, uhm, I'm his coworker," Ezreal cut in. The leader of the group turned to Ezreal and touched his face.

"Are you here together? That's so cute that you're having a boys' night!" She said. Ezreal froze up, unsure of what to say next.

"Ezreal!" A girl came over, pushing her way through the crowd. Ezreal didn't really know her, but she seemed to know him. He reasoned she was probably a regular at Jayce's parties. "It's good to see you again." She said flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Oh, uh, hi," He said nervously. She giggled to herself and extended a hand in greeting.

"My name is Nova, silly!" She said, laughing, as Ezreal shook her hand awkwardly. Ezreal was no stranger to being flirted with at Jayce's parties. He glanced over at Talon whose crowd of suitors was growing. "Is this your friend?"

"It's uh, it's more than that," Ezreal said quickly, sipping his drink anxiously. Nova clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Oh, like a best friend! It's always nice to see men who are able to be vulnerable with each other." She said and leaned against the wall next to Ezreal.

"So how are you liking the atmosphere?" One of the girls orbiting Talon asked. Talon looked less and less amused as the seconds counted on.

"Look, I'm here with someone," Talon said, trying to dodge the girl's hand as she reached for his and drink his whiskey at the same time.

"Oh, don't be so uptight! We can just have some fun!" The girl said reaching for Talon's hand again. Talon pulled his hand away and snapped, clearly not appreciating the pushiness of the girls.

"I'm here with a guy. Him, actually," Talon reached over and pulled Ezreal flush against him, "I'm here on a date with him." Ezreal blushed and hid his face in Talon's side. He hadn't expected Talon to so openly acknowledge their relationship and even though they hadn't really 'defined the relationship', Ezreal felt this was a sign that Talon wanted to be with him.

Ezreal grasped Talon's jacket as the girls started to squeal and chatter amongst themselves about this new development. He peeked out from where he was hiding his face. His gaze traveled across the group of girls who were excitedly whispering to each other.

"Your bromance is so cute!" One of the girls who had been talking to Talon said, clapping her hands together happily. Ezreal felt Talon's grip on his shoulder tighten.

"It's not a 'bromance'. I'm gay." Talon hissed at the girl. She didn't seem even remotely fazed by this as she smiled at Talon brightly. Talon grimaced but released Ezreal who stared up at him in wonder as the assassin continued to field questions from the girls who seemed even more infatuated with Talon than they were before.

A few other girls that Ezreal honestly didn't recognize had come over to talk to Nova. Nova glanced over at Ezreal and noticing that he was free again immediately grabbed Ezreal's hand with both of hers.

"Where is your friend from?" She asked, staring at Ezreal intently. Ezreal tried to pull his hand away but Nova held him fast.

"Oh, uhm, Noxus Prime," Ezreal muttered, trying to pull his hand away from Nova's grasp still. Nova gasped and pulled his hand close to her body.

"Noxus? Isn't Noxus, like, really dangerous?" She asked, her mouth wide open. Ezreal shook his head and awkwardly glanced at Talon for help but Talon was fighting his own battle with Jayce's party-goers.

"No, not really. You just have to know the culture." Ezreal said, slurring his words very slightly and turning away from Nova as she continued to stare at him. Nova nodded her head vigorously, latching onto every word that Ezreal said. Ezreal could feel the effects of the alcohol he'd been drinking taking hold.

"I went to Freljord recently. I got a pet poro while I was there!" Nova said happily. Pet...poro? Ezreal had had pets before but not in recent years. Ezreal didn't really know what to say to the girls to make them go away so he could spend time with Talon as he'd planned.

"I didn't know you could have a pet poro," Ezreal said, inching away from Nova and towards Talon as he spoke. Talon looked annoyed at best and outright angry at worst as he continued to talk to his harassers. Talon glanced over and noticed Ezreal inching closer to him.

Ezreal desperately wanted to spend time at the party with Talon so he could show Talon that going on dates wasn't the terrible time the assassin thought it was. Ezreal inched his hand towards Talon's, reaching out with his pinky. Ezreal hooked his pinky around Talon's and he felt Talon's hand move so that the assassin could hold Ezreal's pinky with his own.

Ezreal smiled to himself as he continued to talk with Nova about her pet poro. Despite their situation, the small private moment he was sharing with Talon brought him comfort. Novas friends were less flirty than Nova herself, obviously playing wingman for their friend. Ezreal inched a little bit closer to Talon and rested his head against Talon's shoulder as he continued to talk to Nova and her friends.

The girls seemed completely oblivious to the small bits of contact Ezreal was able to have with Talon. Ezreal glanced up at Talon. They made eye contact and Talon moved his hand to gently hold Ezreal's.

Talon found that the subtle interactions with Ezreal made the conversations with Jayce's acquaintances more bearable. As pushy and obnoxious as the girls could be, the little bits of affection between himself and Ezreal made it feel like an 'us against the world' feeling.

As Jayce's party started to wind down and guests started leaving, the girls that had been talking to Talon and Ezreal started to talk about where to go.

"Hey, Talon," Ezreal slurred, looking up at the assassin. Talon turned to look at the blond, "Stay over at my place," Ezreal said smiling.

"I don't want to step on Caitlyn's toes," Talon said. He knew the sniper was not fond of him and while he knew she'd not do anything, he wasn't really one to just invade other people's spaces.

"Well, you can't just walk all the way back to Noxus Prime like this. Cait will understand," Ezreal protested. He took Talon's hand in both of his and held the assassin's fingers up to his mouth, "Plus don't you want to have some fun?" He asked, kissing Talon's fingers gently.

"Your argument is compelling," Talon said, tracing Ezreal's lips with the tips of his fingers. "Lead the way." Ezreal jumped up and down happily for a moment then bounded away with Talon's hand in his own.

The walk back to Ezreal's home was free-spirited and full of life as the blond drunkenly skipped through the empty streets of Piltover. Talon followed behind him quietly, amused with the explorer's antics as the blond talked his ear off.

"Oh, that girl, Nova? She has a pet poro. I want a pet poro." Ezreal said, grinning ear to ear. Talon had never had a pet in his life and a poro seemed like an interesting pet but he didn't have any personal investment in it.

"I suppose you'd have to go to Freljord to get one," Talon said. Ezreal nodded vigorously and then suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

"Talon," Ezreal sounded more serious than Talon had ever heard him sound before, "Come to Freljord with me. I need a pet poro."

"I..." Talon had no idea what to say but before he could stop himself, the eight glasses of whiskey he'd drank started to answer for him, "Why not?"

"Thank you!" Ezreal jumped onto Talon, hugging the older man tightly. Talon stumbled backward but managed to stay standing as he held the blond tightly. What he'd just gotten himself into had yet to be seen but he had to admit that it would probably screw a big portion of his life up.


	10. Chapter 10

Talon awoke the next morning and sat up abruptly. He looked around confused before remembering where he was and why. Next to him, Ezreal stirred slightly and after a moment his eyes fluttered open.

Ezreal reached over to the side table and felt around for his phone. He found it after a moment and he looked at it.

"Talon, it's seven in the morning, go back to sleep," Ezreal mumbled, "Cuddle me."

Talon flinched. He had never really cuddled anyone. Growing up he'd been homeless, then a military child, so there hadn't really been any affection for him. Ezreal opened one eye and looked up at the assassin expectantly. The blond reached out to Talon and opened his arms.

Talon wrapped his arms around Ezreal and pulled the blond flush against his body. Talon felt like if it were anyone besides Ezreal, he'd feel very out of place and uncomfortable. But, despite the weirdness of the situation for him, Talon found himself enjoying Ezreal's touch.

Ezreal squirmed around in Talon's hug. The man had clearly not hugged many people as his hug was awkwardly placed and felt a little bit unusual. Ezreal looked up at Talon as he was drifting back off to sleep. The man looked very confused but not uncomfortable, so Ezreal snuggled into his arms and fell back to sleep.

Talon looked down at Ezreal as he slept. The assassin was definitely not getting any more sleep and so he watched his lover sleep. Ezreal looked so peaceful in sleep. Talon relaxed into the soft pillows that Ezreal kept on his bed, watching Ezreal's chest rise and fall as the boy slept.

The blond's body curled into Talon's touch as the assassin cradled the boy gently. Ezreal snored ever so quietly as Talon's thumb stroked the milky white skin of the explorer's back. How Ezreal had gotten out of his clothes was a mystery to Talon but even more mysterious was how he'd gotten his clothes off. It wasn't a matter of drunkness, but rather how he'd felt comfortable enough to take his clothes off outside of his home or the usual inn.

Ezreal smiled a little bit in his sleep as Talon watched him. Talon had never taken the time to really study Ezreal's features before and as the boy laid in his arms, he found his eyes tracing every little feature he could see. He found himself drinking in the sight of Ezreal's soft jawline and slender stomach with just the tiniest amount of definition to his abs. The boy's boxers were slipping down just a bit, revealing his hip bone.

Talon reached out with his free hand. He hesitated as his fingers came close to Ezreal's hip bone. He didn't want to wake the sleeping boy but he desperately wanted to touch that beautiful, porcelain-white skin. He brushed his fingers against Ezreal's hip bone.

Ezreal stirred again. His eyes opened just a bit and he looked up at Talon. Talon let his thumb move very slightly, stroking Ezreal's side. The assassin found himself holding his breath as he touched Ezreal's half-conscious form. His finger moved along the soft curve of Ezreal's side.

Ezreal squirmed. In his dazed, half-awake state, Talon's fingers were more than just a little erotic and his body was reacting. Ezreal yawned, rolled onto his side, and wrapped his arms around Talon's neck. The blond threw one leg over Talon's hips and pressed closed to Talon, grinding his hips against the assassin.

Ezreal bit his lip, suppressing a small moan, as he rubbed his erection against Talon's body. Talon hugged him close letting his fingertips ghost along Ezreal's spine. The blond bucked his hips up, moaning sweetly as Talon's fingers drew little swirls along his skin. Ezreal's fingernails dug into Talon's back as he felt Talon's cock twitch against his thigh.

"I thought you wanted to sleep," Talon muttered. Ezreal whimpered and rubbed his hips against Talon defiantly.

"Well, someone made me horny," Ezreal said. Talon's hands wandered downwards and grabbed Ezreal's ass roughly, pulling him flush against Talon. Ezreal squirmed contently as Talon's fingers hooked the waistband of his boxers and slid them down just enough to reveal his rear.

"Now someone's trying to make me horny," Talon whispered in Ezreal's ear, gently fondling the blond's butt, "And it's working." Talon murmured and nibbled on Ezreal's earlobe gently.

Ezreal's breath caught in his throat as Talon's fingers slowly made their way to his hole. His nails dug into Talon's skin harder as the older man's fingers casually explored his buttcrack. Talon held him in place tightly as he toyed with the boy's hole. The assassin's fingers gently pushed their way into Ezreal's body. Ezreal melted into Talon's touch as the man continued to tease him.

Talon grabbed the waistband of Ezreal's boxers and pulled them down to the boy's ankles. Ezreal kicked his boxers off and in one swift motion, Talon rolled Ezreal on top of him. Ezreal perched himself over Talon, straddling the assassin. The blond smirked down at Talon and walked his hands forward across the brunette's chest. Talon reached up and ghosted his hands up and down Ezreal's back.

Ezreal arched his back forward as Talon continued his careful ministrations Talon held his breath as he watched the boy squirm under his touch. Ezreal could feel Talon's erection under his boxers and he grinded down against the man, whining.

"Aren't we needy today?" Talon murmured and lifted Ezreal up with one hand while he shimmied out of his underwear.

Ezreal leaned down to take off his boxers and kick them across the room. Ezreal nuzzled Talon's cheek as he settled back down on Talon's hips.

"Hey," Ezreal whispered, "I want you..." He said. Ezreal walked his hands across Talon's chest and leaned down into the assassin's face. Talon could feel Ezreal's breath on his lips as the explorer inched closer.

The heat from Talon's erection seemed to resonate through Ezreal's body. The blond began to lazily stroke his half hard cock as he felt his lover start to gently grind against him.

Ezreal's whole body felt hot as he pressed against Talon. He leaned back up and let his head fall back slightly. The assassin's cock rubbed against his hole. The friction reminded him of what it was like to be full, to have the brunette deep inside him. Without thinking of what he was doing, Ezreal grabbed the bottle of lube he kept on his bedside table.

The blond perched himself atop Talon and with a trained hand he slicked the assassin's cock. Ezreal could feel the tip of Talon's erection pressing against his hole.

"I want..." Ezreal said, "I want… I want to be one with you…" He continued.

Talon's breath caught in his throat as he looked up at Ezreal. He nodded a short confirmation to Ezreal and without hesitating at all, the blond pressed down. It became painfully obvious that the explorer kept himself prepped as he slid down onto Talon's cock with ease.

Ezreal's mouth fell open as he pushed Talon's cock inside his body. His pink tongue peeked out from his mouth, lolling carelessly on his lips. Talon inhaled sharply as Ezreal started to move his hips ever so slightly.

The brunette shivered as the blond rode him. The explorer's eyes were glazed over as he stared up at the ceiling with unseeing eyes. Each movement filled his vision with colourful starbursts that Ezreal just couldn't focus his eyes on.

Without warning, Talon's hips twitched. The sensation made Ezreal crumple onto Talon's chest. His soft moans were barely audible as Talon began to move. Ezreal rested his head against Talon's chest, listening to the man's heartbeat.

Talon tensed a little bit as Ezreal snuggled him. His hands moved between Ezreal's hips and back only lightly brushing against the boy's skin as Talon tried to find a comfortable spot to keep them.

The assassin's hip movements were slower, more deliberate, than the times they'd been together previously. Talon's hands finally came to rest on Ezreal's lower back as the older man rolled his hips up against his lover.

"Talon..." Ezreal breathed, "Oh, Talon, it feels good," the blond's voice was quiet but forceful as his breath quickened. The boy's fingers gripped the sheet with one hand while his other fingers found their way into his mouth, muffling the breathy moans escaping his lips.

Ezreal's attempt to quell his vocal nature wasn't having much success, but Talon was having trouble feeling self-conscious with his cock pressed against Ezreal's prostate.

"I love your body," Talon said quietly. Ezreal's body reacted violently to the words. The blond trembled with arousal as he focused on the gentle, sweet, _loving_ pressure inside him.

"Talon," Ezreal moaned, "Talon, I love you," The boy's voice quivered as he came. The orgasm brought a high that hadn't been present in their previous encounters. The blond felt like his soul had been lifted from his body momentarily. His body twitched and spasmed as he bathed in the soft feeling the sex brought about.

Without any warning at all, Talon came hard inside Ezreal. He let out a low groan as he clutched the blond like a lifeline. He held Ezreal around the waist tightly. His mouth hung open slightly as he panted quietly.

"Talon?" Ezreal said, "I...I really liked that..." He continued, curling up against Talon's chest. "Can we do that more?"

Talon nodded, though it was unclear if Ezreal could feel the motion. Talon continued to stare at the ceiling in disbelief. The confusion and lack of understanding were palpable.

Ezreal pushed himself up and perched himself on his elbows so he could look at Talon. Talon's mouth was open in a soft circle as opposed to the usual hard frown and his eyes revealed more of his soul than Ezreal had ever thought possible.

Talon blinked and his eyes returned to their cold, calm state. Ezreal smirked down at Talon and hummed to get the older man's attention. Talon glanced up at Ezreal curiously.

"So, you agreed to go to Freljord with me," Ezreal said smiling brightly. Talon groaned and covered his eyes with his arm.

"Honestly, I was hoping you'd forgotten," The assassin said, sighing. "So, you're really gonna make me go, huh?" Talon didn't seem angry. Ezreal nodded vigorously. "Okay, okay. I'm a man of my word."

Ezreal sat up and clapped his hands together happily. He smiled down at Talon who slowly sat up with the blond on his lap.

"Ahem."

Caitlyn's voice could be heard, pointedly very loudly, from the next room over. Ezreal covered his mouth, embarrassed, and hid his face in Talon's shoulder.

"The coffee tastes especially good this morning!" Caitlyn's voice came through the air again. Talon snickered quietly as Ezreal frantically searched for a response to Caitlyn's clearly annoyed declaration of her presence.

"G-Good morning, Caitlyn!" Ezreal stammered out to his roommate. Caitlyn could be heard slurping down her coffee in the other room through the apparently thin walls.

"Well, yes, _someone_ seems to be having quite a nice morning, hm?" Caitlyn said curtly. "I'm leaving now. Try to be decent when I come home, yeah?" With that, the front door slammed loudly, and Ezreal peeked up at Talon through his fingers.

"Were we that loud?" Ezreal asked pouting in embarrassment. Talon shrugged and smirked at Ezreal.

"It was probably you going like 'ooh aaah Talon it feels so good-" Ezreal clamped his hands over Talon's mouth, blushing fiercely.

"I don't...I don't..." Ezreal said, waving his hands around like a flustered cockatoo.

"You do," Talon said matter-of-factly, "So, how are we going to get to Freljord exactly? Are we just going to walk?"

"Well, that was my plan, yeah," Ezreal said sheepishly, "Look, I didn't really think out the logistics."

"And, the people that live there are just going to let us waltz in and steal their wildlife?" Talon seemed amused at Ezreal's expense as the blond fumbled for a good response to his questioning.

"Uhm, I wasn't planning on telling anyone we were going to be there. Freljord doesn't really have border patrols or anything, if I'm remembering correctly," Ezreal said, smiling, hoping that Talon wouldn't ask any more questions.

"So, we're sneaking into Freljord to steal Freljordian wildlife. Okay," Talon shrugged and yawned. "How long do you expect this to take?"

"No more than a week," Ezreal assured him. Talon closed his eyes and took in a big breath. "I promise!" The blond pleaded. Talon shook his head.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, okay?" Talon said. Ezreal smiled sheepishly but clasped his hands together in excitement. He jumped up and stretched up towards the ceiling.

"When do you want to leave?" He asked, clapping quietly, "Oh, tomorrow? Can we leave tomorrow? I'm so excited!"

"Uhm," Talon wasn't exactly _busy_ , but he definitely had a life. Ezreal mustered up the cutest puppy dog eyes he could manage. He could almost feel the sparkle in his eyes as he batted his eyelashes at Talon. The older man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Fine."

Ezreal clapped his hands together louder and smiled at Talon brightly. He pulled his big backpack out of his closet where it had been collecting dust as usual and started piling things into it haphazardly.

"So, we'll need to get rations and other supplies for the trip. You can come with me if you want! We have lots of different adventure related stores here in Piltover!" Ezreal leaned forward as Talon did his best to try and look impressed.

"I, uhm, thanks, I guess," Talon truthfully had no interest at all in adventuring and was only doing this whole 'expedition' idea because he was a man of his word, even his drunk word.

Talon got up and started to get dressed. He really didn't know what to expect on a trip with Ezreal. He'd done the expedition into the ruins in Noxus, but this was a different animal entirely.

Once Ezreal had finished piling things into his bag, he started getting dressed. He realised he was really just having an extended date with Talon and he made an effort to pick out something a little nicer than the sweats he normally would have donned for such an outing.

Ezreal felt very fashionable in his clothes. Talon, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable in his rather nice party clothes. Ezreal dug through his closet looking for something a little more casual than what the assassin was currently wearing. He eventually found a shirt that was much too long for him, but pants were much harder to find.

"Uhm, these should fit you. So you don't have to wear such stiff clothing," Ezreal said offering the clothes to Talon. Talon frowned but accepted the clothing. He changed into the clothes but, though they were physically more comfortable, he _looked_ more uncomfortable.

"I...look ridiculous," Talon sighed, looking down at himself. Ezreal almost giggled looking at Talon in his clothes. The t-shirt wasn't so bad. The design was...out of character...but the pants. The pants were canvas and loose around the legs and had many straps, and belts, and zippers, and chains hanging off them.

"Oh, you look fine," Ezreal covered his mouth to stifle his giggling. Talon didn't even glare at him, he just looked defeated and unhappy. "Can I stay at your house again?" Ezreal said, turning his attention back to their mission, "Noxus Prime is on the way to Freljord."

"Yeah, yeah," Talon said. The man crossed his arms and grumbled as Ezreal lead him out of the apartment and onto the streets of Piltover.

Ezreal simply floated from shop to shop, without really telling Talon what kind of shops they were and Piltoveran shops had such strange names. None of the names of the shops even remotely indicated what was being sold.

Still, Talon followed Ezreal around and bought some things to try and seem as if he were more interested in their upcoming trip than he actually was. The explorer was completely enthralled in shopping for the trip, and Talon wasn't about to interrupt him.

Finally, it was about noon and Ezreal lead Talon into a tea shop. They seated themselves at a small table in the corner. Ezreal started pointing to the menu and talking about each different kind of tea.

"So we're done with shopping and not a minute too soon as we have to get back to Noxus Prime again," Ezreal said when he'd finished his rant about tea. Talon nodded. He seemed more relaxed than he'd been in Noxus Prime, but that might have been the overwhelmingly lawful air of Piltover.

A waitress came over and took their orders. Even the waitress seemed put off by Talon's new Ezreal-inspired aesthetic. Talon made a face but it wasn't the usually hardened grimace he normally sported. He actually just looked a bit sad for a moment. Ezreal tried to smile encouragingly.

"You look fine," Ezreal couldn't look directly at the pants without giggling, but he was clearly trying to keep his composure for Talon's sake. The poor guy looked like he wanted to melt into the floor and die. "They look good on you, I _swear_." Those words made Talon shoot a quick glare at Ezreal.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you lying is a sin?" Talon didn't really snap or grumble like he normally would. He felt like all eyes were on him, a gruff foreigner in teenagers' clothing. He didn't normally mind being judged, but he didn't like the attention he was receiving. Ezreal patted his hand sympathetically. "Yeah, yeah, make your fun."

"I'm not making fun of you!" Ezreal grabbed Talon's hand and held it. "I just didn't want you to have to be so uncomfortable," Ezreal's voice trailed off as he finished his sentence. Talon sighed.

"I know. It's not a big deal, so don't worry about it," The assassin ruffled Ezreal's hair and set about drinking his tea. Ezreal pouted, looking guilty, and sipped on his tea as well. He looked outside. It was starting to move into the evening and they had to make it back to Noxus Prime before nightfall.

"We should head back to Noxus Prime," Ezreal said. Talon nodded and finished his tea. Ezreal chugged his tea and threw some money down on the table and the two got up and left.

It was dusk when they reached Noxus Prime, a bit before schedule thanks to some merchants who'd given them a ride from the border. Ezreal stretched and yawned as they entered Talon's home. Talon had moved into the kitchen and appeared to be preparing dinner.

"Why is your home so small?" Ezreal asked. Talon didn't respond at first but he poked his head out from the kitchen. His face looked confused.

"You live in an apartment with a roommate," Talon said. Ezreal realised that it did seem a bit foolish to call Talon's home "small" when his personal space was a 15x20 bedroom.

"I just mean, like, you're an assassin. You make a ton of money. Why not have a bigger home?" Ezreal said.

"I don't want to have to do the work of having a bigger home," Talon said. The sound of metal on ceramic could be heard from the kitchen and Talon soon appeared with two plates of food. "This home is enough work for me. No need to add to it," Talon set the food down in front of Ezreal and the blond wasted no time at all digging in.

"I never would have taken you to be a good cook!" Ezreal exclaimed. "Truth to be told, I eat take out most nights," Talon also started eating, though in a more refined manner.

"I'd have expected nothing less," The assassin said. Ezreal didn't even seem to notice the subtle jab at his living skills as he continued to inhale the food given to him. "So are we actually walking to the border of Noxus and Freljord or are we hitchhiking or what?" Talon asked. Ezreal stopped eating to consider his options.

"I hadn't really thought of it," Ezreal said. He wiped his mouth with the napkin that had been given to him with the plate, "Does Noxus have any kind of travel between the two nations?" Talon thought for a moment.

"Yeah, we do. Do you want to get a ride to the border?" Talon asked. He was still eating, but he reached over with his napkin and wiped a little bit of food off of the corner of Ezreal's mouth, "Did no one ever teach you to wipe your mouth properly?" Ezreal blushed and vigorously wiped his mouth again.

"Y-Yeah, let's get a ride to the border," He said, trying to keep the subject off of his poor mouth wiping abilities. "I'm gonna go...brush my teeth..." He said, trying to hide his embarrassment. Talon finished up his food and followed Ezreal to the bathroom. The blond had left the door open and was brushing his teeth with gusto.

"You're _really_ into brushing your teeth, huh?" Talon said, laughter evident in his voice. Ezreal spat the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed his mouth out.

"How else would I keep my teeth so clean?" He said proudly. Talon picked up his own toothbrush and started brushing his teeth. "Hey," Ezreal said, coyly looking at Talon and batting his eyelashes, "We're alone now," Talon spit the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed his mouth out.

"You have a healthy adolescent sex drive, I see," Talon said as he wiped his mouth on a soft hand towel. Ezreal put his hands over his face and peeked out at Talon through his fingers.

"W-What's that supposed to mean, old man?" Ezreal countered. Talon shrugged, unfazed by the insult and left the bathroom for the bedroom.


	11. Chapter 11

Ezreal woke bright and early the next morning. He sat up and stretched his arms to the sky. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and he turned excitedly to Talon who was staring back at him through blank, tired eyes.

"How can you be so perky this early in the morning?" Talon muttered. It occurred to Ezreal that Talon's job probably required him to work under the cover of night. The assassin was probably just not used to being up during the day like this. Ezreal swung his legs over the side of the bed and jumped out of the bed happily.

"Just a morning person, I suppose," He said happily. He wasn't sure what made him happier, that he was going on an adventure or that, for just a little while, he'd have Talon all to himself. "Come on, we have to catch a ride towards the border!" Ezreal prodded. Talon didn't grumble or groan, he just pulled himself out of the bed. Ezreal was amazed that even in his seemingly groggy state, the man moved with such poise and grace.

Ezreal hummed to himself as he put on layer after layer of clothing. It wasn't __cold__ in Noxus, but it wasn't warm either, so he wouldn't __swelter__ , he reasoned to himself. Talon was also putting on the winter clothes that Ezreal had urged him to purchase. Talon had gone for lightweight clothes that allowed him to move easier whereas Ezreal was mostly worried about feeling cold.

Once they were both ready, they picked up their respective travelling bags and headed out. Ezreal wrapped the cloak Talon had given him around his shoulders and fastened it proudly with his military citizenship badge. Talon was also wearing his standard dark brown cloak to make sure he continued to blend in with the average Noxian citizen. Ezreal had to keep careful track of where he was stepping as the cloak he was wearing was made for someone quite a bit taller than himself.

It didn't take long for them to reach the edge of Noxus Prime where the various merchants were loading their carts to head off to different areas of Noxus and Runeterra. It didn't take long for Talon to zero in on one of the merchants.

"You're going to Freljord, right?" Talon asked. The merchant nodded and Talon pulled out a handful of gold coins, "Can you take us to the border?" The merchant stared at the handful of gold, enraptured by the coins.

"How do I know these are real?" He asked haughtily, snapping to his senses. Talon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. He pointed to the Du Couteau crest brooch on his cloak.

"You have the word of the Du Couteau family," Talon looked annoyed out of his mind. Ezreal wondered if Talon was only offering to pay because he didn't want to worry or frighten him. The assassin looked like he wanted to put a blade through the merchant and take all his stuff. The merchant seemed to accept the answer, or perhaps he found the assassin's overwhelming aura of murderous intent oppressive.

"Just let me know when you want off," The merchant said, motioning to the back of the cart. Talon turned and put his hands under Ezreal's arms and lifted the blond into the cart effortlessly. Ezreal could feel his face getting hot as he situated himself on the cart. But before they could get going a shrill wolf whistle pierced the air.

"Talon? Is that you? What are you doing all the way out here?" Katarina approached with Darius at her side. The axe-wielding soldier looked exasperated as Katarina pranced over to the cart they were climbing onto. As soon as Talon visually located his adoptive sister, it was as if the temperature of the air around him dropped ten degrees.

"What do __you__ want?" Talon growled. Katarina leaned against the side of the cart, grinning ear to ear.

"Oh, you know, I'm just making sure everything going on here is kosher. I didn't expect to see my cute little brother and his even cuter little boyfriend out here in the merchant's district," She sang. Ezreal glanced at Talon and brunette was doing his best to remain composed, but it was clear how much Katarina aggravated him.

"First of all, I'm older than you. Second of all, __fuck off__ ," Talon snapped. Katarina clapped her hands together, giggling. She sauntered over and inspected Talon closely.

"Winter clothes? What are __you__ going to Freljord for? With him?" She interrogated him playfully. Talon leaned away from her, grimacing and pushed her away with his foot. "Are you two going on vacation? An adventure?" She continued. Talon took a deep breath, clearly refusing to respond, "Oh my god, you __are__! You are __so whipped__! What happened to you?"

"Did I stutter?" Talon said. "Fuck off, you cunt," He said. Katarina cupped her chin with her hands, grinning like a schoolgirl.

"Oh, fine! I'll let you lovebirds go freeze your asses off! Toodles!" She practically skipped away with Darius in tow. The man kind of waved a sort of apology for Katarina's behaviour in their direction as he followed her.

As Katarina's silhouette disappeared in the distance, Ezreal could see Talon visibly relax. Ezreal scooted over to Talon as the merchant took off. Without saying anything, Talon put his arm around Ezreal's shoulders and pulled the blond flush against his body. Ezreal could have physically purred as Talon continued to hold him firmly.

The gentle rocking of the cart started to lull Ezreal into a slumber. He looked up at Talon through heavy-lidded eyes. Much to his surprise, the assassin reached up and slowly ran his fingers through Ezreal's hair. Talon's eyes stared blankly forward as he continued to absently stroke Ezreal's hair. Ezreal could feel himself drifting off happily as he was enveloped in Talon's warmth.

Ezreal yawned openly and Talon reached around with his other hand and pulled his cloak over Ezreal's head, shielding the boy from the sunlight. Ezreal snuggled his face into Talon's side and revelled in the man's scent. He felt that if he were to suddenly die here, he'd die happy.

Ezreal knew that Talon couldn't relax even if he tried, but the Noxian's presence made Ezreal feel that much safer as he relaxed into the movement of the cart. Talon kept his eyes trained forward as he held the sleeping blond.

Talon knew that he would never be so relaxed as to sleep on a stranger's cart somewhere in the Noxian wilderness, but Ezreal had surprised him at every turn with how trusting he was of strangers. Talon stole a quick glance at the sleeping boy as the cart continued on its way to Freljord. Truth to be told, he had no idea how long this journey was meant to take or even where they currently were. Nonetheless, he felt surprisingly at ease with Ezreal cuddled up against his side.

As he stared into the wilderness of the western part of Noxus, Talon felt like his life was being held upside down and shaken for its loose change. As much as he hated to admit it, Katarina was right. He __was__ whipped and it was this stupid almost-teenage Piltoveran __weirdo__ who seemed to have the key to his heart.

The more he thought about it, the more he hated the situation he'd put himself in. Not the "adventure" itself, but the position where he actually wanted someone else in the world to be happy. It goes without saying that a person whose primary income comes from stabbing people to death doesn't have much of a care for the well-being and happiness of others. Thus it was that much stranger that Talon found that when Ezreal looked even just a little bit sad, he desired to kill—or fix—whatever was making the blond upset.

Talon grimaced at nothing in particular. He wasn't used to this kind of introspection. He normally avoided it entirely by simply drinking until he couldn't stand anymore. Darius often said something about his liver when he would show up to meetings after a night of drinking, but Talon chose to take the path of "ignorance is bliss" on the idea of liver failure.

Ezreal let out a soft snore. The sound was so cute and fragile that Talon felt he might vomit from how sweet it was. Despite the boy's constant posturing and bragging, he was actually quite soft and waify when it came down to it. The blond's hand gripped Talon's jacket a little tighter as the cart continued its journey.

Talon could watch around him as nature changed from the barren plains of Noxus to the tundra of Freljord. The changes were subtle, but Talon was perceptive enough to know they were indeed going to eventually reach their destination. A particularly rough bump in the ground sent Ezreal flopping down into Talon's lap. Amazingly, Ezreal not only did not wake up, but the blond actually let out a monster snore as he readjusted himself. Talon was consistently amazed by Ezreal, but the boy's skill, if you could call it that, in sleeping was beyond the assassin's comprehension entirely.

Talon looked around. He realised pretty quickly that there was no reason to look around before acting, but the motion was so ingrained in his being that he couldn't help it anymore. Using the precise skill of an assassin, he gently brushed Ezreal's hair out of his face. The blond's face was so peaceful and relaxed as he napped in Talon's lap. Talon reached out but hesitated before caressing the explorer's face. He was momentarily disgusted with himself as he realised how sickly saccharine the scene was. Still, he didn't retract his hand. The appendage hovered over the blond's skin as if he were willing himself silently to man up and do what he wanted to do.

Talon grimaced at himself as he continued to will himself to make his own day by touching the soft skin that was just millimetres from his fingertips. The manliest thing a man can do is __whatever the fuck he wants__. So, why was he being such a god damned pussy? What was he afraid of?

As he looked into his lover's sleeping face, the desire to be gentle and loving and sweet with him continued to build in the assassin's heart. Finally, after much deliberation, Talon managed to get his hand to move just a little and he softly stroked Ezreal's cheekbone with his thumb. The skin was just as soft and smooth as it looked and Talon let out a breath that he was previously unaware that he was holding in.

Talon knew that Ezreal was cuddly. He'd spent more than one night with the blond and it __always__ ended with Talon being hugged like Ezreal's life depended on it. He'd become suspiciously comfortable with the aggressive cuddling that Ezreal desired; perhaps only because the blond desired it.

Talon leaned over Ezreal, using his cloak to shield the boy from the light. He still had no idea where they were going and he contemplated when the appropriate time to wake Ezreal might be. He knew the boy would be excited more than he would be unpleasant, but yet Talon desired to stare at his serene sleeping face longer.

Talon hated every second of this quiet ride. Even more than the ride, Talon found that he hated that he was becoming a version of him that he'd previously not known existed. He wanted to slap himself silly and yet he wondered if perhaps this was the natural evolution of a real relationship. The Du Couteau family was not exactly known for its loving and emotional environment. Talon had never even met his adoptive "mother" and to his knowledge, Katarina and Cassiopeia had also never met her. He'd never begrudged his rough upbringing and considered it to be a blessing that he'd even had a roof over his head at all.

Talon was more than content, however odd that was for a man of his character, to sit and stroke Ezreal's cheek while the blond slept. Ezreal was a pretty heavy sleeper, Talon was learning. As an extremely light and easily disturbed sleeper, Talon found himself a tad jealous of how the boy could sleep basically in any conditions. He supposed it was probably very important for an explorer to be able to sleep in unusual places and conditions, but it was still amazing to Talon.

Ezreal shifted slightly so he was snuggling even closer to Talon. His hand that was gripping Talon's jacket continued to hold the fabric like a lifeline. Talon moved his thumb so that he was touching the blond's lips. They were soft and just __so__ kissable. Talon caressed the spot on the blond's lower lip where his teeth would connect when he bit his lip. The more he looked at Ezreal, the more he realised that, for the first time in his life, he felt that someone else was perfect in every metric. The thought made Talon pretty distinctly uncomfortable. He wasn't used to even so much as tolerating other people in a friendly manner. __Liking__ someone was unusual and made him a bit angry.

"I love you...Talon..." Ezreal mumbled. Talon recoiled, worrying that the boy had woken up. Ezreal saying the 'love' word always made Talon a little (a lot) uncomfortable. Even among his family members the word 'love' was never used seriously. He was fairly certain that Ezreal was the only person who'd ever said they loved him and meant it. Truthfully, he didn't know if Ezreal meant it or what that word meant to Ezreal.

As Talon continued to stare down at Ezreal's sleeping face, an extremely uncomfortable thought crossed his mind. Did __he__ love __Ezreal__? The word 'love' made his skin crawl. It wasn't that Noxian society didn't believe in love or something, but weakness was heavily frowned upon. Talon had always considered the idea of being in love to be the ultimate weakness. It wasn't like everyone didn't __know__ about what happened with Darius's partner. Plus, making Ezreal a target of Noxus's enemies didn't seem like a very nice thing to do to someone. It was probably for the best if Talon...never spoke to Ezreal again.

For the first time in a long time, Talon felt...sad? __Sad__? Why on Earth would he feel sad about anything that was happening to him? Love may not be looked down upon, but sadness certainly was. Talon was pretty sure he'd never been sad in his life before. So, why did this make him sad? Why did the idea of not having Ezreal in his life hurt him so much? Talon felt a physical pang of sadness in his chest as he continued to think about his choices. He placed one hand over his heart as he closed his eyes, lost in his own sorrow. What a terrible feeling sadness was. Talon tried to will himself into anger because at least that was an emotion he understood and could control well.

"Hey..." Ezreal's eyes were still heavy-lidded, but they were open. Talon felt himself, also for the first time in his life, fly into a panic. He had no idea what to do now that Ezreal was awake after he was alone with his thoughts for so long. Ezreal yawned widely and looked up at him. "Are you...okay?" He said. Talon was more than a little bit surprised that Ezreal could see through what he felt was a perfectly crafted countenance.

"I'm __fine,__ " Talon said. He desperately wanted to be fine. He'd never experienced not being fine before. Sure, Katarina was annoying, but he was more than capable of just kind of ignoring her antics and occasionally giving her a warning signal that she was going to get her ass murdered if she didn't stop. But, he hadn't the slightest clue how to deal with this cursed feeling.

"Talon," Ezreal's voice was more serious than Talon had ever heard the boy in his life, "I can see that you're not fine," Despite the serious tone of the conversation and the boy's voice, the words were gentle and evoked a feeling of deep longing and affection in Talon's chest. Ezreal reached up and lightly traced Talon's brow with his index finger. The explorer's finger ghosted down the side of Talon's face and traced the shape of the assassin's lips. "It's okay to not be okay. What's wrong?"

"Nothing that concerns you," Talon lied. Ezreal looked more concerned. He frowned to himself, anxiously chewing on his bottom lip. Talon wanted to stop him, comfort him. The blond looked so attractive chewing on his lip, but not with such a sad expression.

"I can't make you talk to me," Ezreal said. His voice was quiet and sullen. It made Talon's chest ache. Ezreal smiled weakly, "It's okay. You can tell me when you're ready," He said. He cupped Talon's face softly. To everyone's visible surprise, Talon leaned into the blond's touch.

"Try not to worry," Talon said, "Noxians frown upon defeatists," He didn't really know how to smile and didn't want to scare Ezreal by trying, but he put his hand over Ezreal's in an attempt to comfort him. Ezreal nodded and sat up out of Talon's lap, groaning slightly. He looked around to see where the cart was at the current time and then curled himself against Talon's chest. Talon didn't have to be told this time to hold the blond. Albeit awkwardly, the brunette hugged his lover to his chest. He could almost hear Ezreal physically purr as he did. Having the blond so close made Talon feel a way he'd never felt before. He felt a longing so strong that he felt he was physically being pulled to Ezreal.

After a few moments, Ezreal snored again. Talon rested his chin on top of the blond's head. Being with Ezreal felt good, it felt right, and he wanted to keep doing it if he could.


	12. Chapter 12

It took some time, but eventually, the cart arrived at the border and Ezreal and Talon bid the merchant farewell. It was late evening when they'd arrived at the border, so they started to look for a spot to set up camp. Talon followed Ezreal as he wandered into the tundra, away from the road, to find a good spot to set up camp. They'd come in through the mountains and Ezreal wasted no time finding a cliffside to follow.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Talon said, starting to seem grumpy. Ezreal tapped his chin and looked around.

"There's not going to be a lot of cover in a tundra, but we can look for a spot that's a little bit more secluded so we can kind of have a base of operations," He said, more to himself than to Talon. Talon groaned audibly. He clearly wasn't having a good time, but Ezreal didn't really expect the assassin to acclimate to the adventuring lifestyle so easily.

As they continued to walk, Ezreal continued to look down the mountainside to try and find a spot sheltered spot. He had some hopes for this mountainside, many different kinds of hopes. He hoped there would be some kind of small inlet or cave, and that it was _not_ currently inhabited. He wanted to have some kind of cover from the elements that his tent, however much he loved it, just couldn't properly provide. Setting up his tent inside of some kind of cover was the perfect way to create a little home base.

By the time they'd reached the base of the cliffs, the moon was shining brightly overhead. Talon wasn't complaining. The Noxian was completely silent as he followed behind Ezreal. It was actually a tad unsettling how quiet the Noxian was, but Ezreal felt that he should be used to it at this point, having been on a prior expedition with Talon.

After a bit of walking along the cliffside, Ezreal found what he was looking for, well at least the first part of what he was looking for. He held his lamp up, shining the light into the cave. The cave was pretty shallow overall and since he could see the back of the cave, it didn't look like there was anything inhabiting the cave either. There were no signs of any living things having taken shelter here.

"Ah, yes, sleeping in a cave. Everyone's fantasy," Talon said. Ezreal didn't bother retorting. He knew the Noxian was way less used to this kind of thing than he was, so he didn't begrudge him for not being completely psyched about it. Ezreal set his bag down on the ground and started taking things out to put a little camp together.

Talon also set his bag down and started to help Ezreal with preparations. He began to set up a campfire on the dirt floor of the cave. Ezreal wasn't sure if he should be surprised that Talon knew something about surviving in the wilderness. The assassin _was_ a member of the Noxian military and most military personnel did have some kind of survival training.

It didn't take Ezreal long to set up the tent. Even though they had the shelter of the cave, the tent would further protect them from the elements of the cave itself. He turned to Talon and found the assassin sitting by the campfire he'd made putting together a meal with the provisions he'd bought. Truthfully, Ezreal had never eaten a hot meal on an adventure in his life, so this was going to be a real treat. Ezreal walked over to where Talon was sitting and sat next to him.

"What'cha making?" Ezreal asked. Ezreal was excited to eat more of Talon's cooking, especially to see what the man could do with just a campfire and some travel provisions. Maybe he could get Talon to come with him more often so he wouldn't have to eat garbage all the time.

"Pork, rice, and beans," Talon said. Ezreal knew that cured meat was definitely something that _could_ be eaten, but he'd never eaten it personally because it would require some level of preparation that he just didn't really know how to do. Ezreal watched intently as Talon continued to prepare food. He found himself constantly amazed by the range of Talon's personal abilities. Everyone saw the man as a hardass, sadistic assassin, which he was, but he had a softer side too. He had a side that could cook and clean and care for a sick partner.

Ezreal couldn't help but stare at Talon's profile as the man continued to prepare their meal. It was mesmerising to Ezreal how skillfully Talon worked when it came to domestic duties. Maybe it was his privileged upbringing that made Ezreal a complete deadweight when it came to anything that involved the home life at all.

"Well, I mean, I guess if you don't want to eat that's your prerogative," Talon said, still holding a tin of food out to Ezreal. Ezreal snapped back into reality and sheepishly took the plate from Talon. Talon quietly relaxed back to eat. Ezreal sat down next to Talon and gently rested his head on the assassin's shoulder. There was something very romantic about eating together by a campfire, but it was probably only Ezreal who felt this way. Talon didn't really seem like the type to particular enjoy camping. Ezreal assumed it had to do with the whole 'living in the sewers' thing. That would kind of kill the joy of camping, maybe.

Ezreal was more surprised that Talon didn't move away or tell him to stop. The man was obviously more concerned with eating than cuddling, but Ezreal felt a little flutter in his stomach as he sat quietly with Talon. The nice warm food was definitely a change of pace from Ezreal's steady diet of preserved fruits. Without thinking too much, Ezreal leaned up and lightly kissed Talon on the cheek. He pulled back quickly, knowing Talon probably wouldn't like that kind of touch.

Talon tensed up very slightly as Ezreal kissed him on the cheek, but kept his eyes down on his food. He seemed almost like he was avoiding discussing the interaction at all. Still, Ezreal was surprised that Talon seemed to not entirely reject the affection. He didn't know what it meant, the assassin was far too hard to read. They finished eating in silence which was not unusual for them. It was a comfortable silence. Ezreal did his best to clean up the plates. It was only fair as Talon had made the dinner.

"We should sleep," Ezreal yawned, "We have a big day tomorrow. The first real day of our adventure!" He clapped his hands together happily. Talon didn't look nearly as excited as Ezreal felt, but that was to be expected when he was kind of being dragged along for a ride he didn't want to be on. Talon already looked exhausted, probably emotionally as well as physically. Ezreal hadn't forgotten how disturbed Talon had looked when he'd fallen asleep in the cart on the way to the border. He wanted to ask, but it was clear that Talon was not interested in talking about it and Ezreal feared that pushing the assassin would cause him to clam up and pull away from him.

Talon stretched his back out. It was clear the man probably hadn't been comfortable in the entire day they'd been travelling. Ezreal gathered their things to bring them inside the tent. Talon walked over to the tent and clumsily let himself inside. Ezreal smiled watching Talon doing his best to try to acclimate to the new situation. Talon usually seemed so elegant and put together, it was refreshing to see that even he didn't know absolutely everything. There was something endearing about seeing Talon stumble through a situation he was new to, but Ezreal knew far better than to say anything about it or offer assistance.

Eventually, Talon managed to find his way inside the tent and Ezreal followed behind him. The two carefully organised their stuff in the corner and laid out their sleeping bags. Ezreal looked at the two sleeping bags side by side and tapped his chin, thinking for a moment. He crouched down and unzipped the sleeping bags and laid them out flat on top of each other on top of the sleeping mat.

"I just thought we could, y'know, cuddle...for warmth! For warmth!" Ezreal said. The look on Talon's face was pretty clear in its disbelief, but he didn't protest or complain. He slowly took off the heavier outer layers he was wearing, shivering to himself as he crawled under the sleeping bags. Ezreal followed suit and immediately cuddled up to Talon's side. He worried for a moment that Talon would pull away or feel awkward, but the assassin rolled onto his side and embraced Ezreal.

Ezreal nuzzled his face into Talon's side happily. He knew that there was a good chance the Noxian wouldn't smell quite as good as he did now by the end of their little adventure, so he wanted to get his mileage in to openly sniff Talon. He knew better than to _loudly_ sniff Talon, but he felt like he was in absolute heaven being embraced by Talon both physically and olfactorily.

Almost more strangely than Ezreal's honestly bizarre penchant for sniffing people he liked, was the fact that as he indulged himself in his little world, Talon hugged him a little tighter and buried his face in Ezreal's hair. Ezreal was almost positive he was not being sniffed, but the gesture was highly unusual coming from someone like Talon. Talon didn't say anything, he simply continued to hold Ezreal tightly. He kept his face buried in Ezreal's hair, but Ezreal could feel the assassin's hands trembling slightly.

Talon wasn't even really consciously aware of what he was doing. He wasn't sure why he was doing what he was doing or what benefit it had outside of maybe being a little warmer, but holding the explorer tightly felt like something he was unable to stop doing at the moment.

As Talon held the explorer to his body, he felt as though the ground in his world had fallen out from under him. It probably _was_ best for Ezreal to not be a part of his life like this. This thought felt like being punched in the stomach, a feeling he knew far too well. It didn't exactly alleviate the pain, but squeezing Ezreal like a doll with no feelings was mildly comforting to this pain.

Ezreal wasn't complaining, so Talon reasoned there was no compelling argument to stop doing what he was doing. In fact, Ezreal seemed rather pleased with their current arrangement. Talon could feel Ezreal shifting his legs under the blankets. The explorer probably thought he was being sneaky when he curled up into a fetal position and gently nudged his feet in between Talon's thighs. Talon wasn't really complaining; the boy's feet weren't really cold to the touch.

Still, Talon found himself starting to genuinely enjoy the affectionate touch that was being shared between them. He felt that is must be some kind of strange guilty pleasure that he had. Yet, he didn't understand the feelings it evoked in him in the slightest. He didn't know _why_ he had to hold Ezreal so tightly or closely. He knew only that he felt deep inside him that if he stopped doing so, something terrible would befall them.

Ezreal's breathing had slowed down to a deep, soft pattern. Talon recognised it as the pattern of breathing associated with Ezreal being asleep. Talon instinctively began stroking Ezreal's hair. The silky blond locks slipped through Talon's fingers easily. Even in his sleep, the explorer made a pleased humming noise as Talon continued to caress him.

Listening to Ezreal's peaceful breathing made Talon more anxious, another feeling he had no idea how to parse or process. He had no experience with any of these soft emotions that the explorer seemed to evoke in his heart. Talon felt a dull ache in the pit of his stomach as he held Ezreal. The more time he spent with Ezreal, the more it became clear that he enjoyed the blond's presence, but the more he enjoyed the blond's presence, the more danger that impressed upon the explorer.

Talon closed his eyes, immersing himself in the feel of the explorer's body. This kind of affectionate touch was one he'd never in his life imagined himself enjoying, yet, here he was. He'd never understood why other people wanted to be affectionate and loving with each other, he still really didn't. Furthermore, he really didn't understand why this kind of affection brought him so much emotional pain. He was used to emotional pain in his own way, but not this type of emotional pain. A pain he didn't understand was one he didn't know how to cure.

As he started to drift off himself, Talon felt a feeling that some had expressed to him, a feeling akin to a "lump" in his throat. Despite the feeling, his body produced no tears, he simply wallowed in his own sadness. As his consciousness began to fade, he felt a momentary sense of relief that he wouldn't have to stay sad like this. He could distract his mind with work helping Ezreal find some stupid animal that happened to live here.

Talon awoke when Ezreal shifted around, stretching himself and yawning. What surprised him was how relaxed he felt. Normally, being woken up as an ordeal that ended in panicked violence, but with Ezreal he only felt mildly annoyed that he wasn't left to sleep more. He knew that, of course, there would be no sleeping late on this adventure, but he could dream, right? As far as he knew⸺which was, admittedly, not very much⸺Poros were not nocturnal, so there would be no reason for them to be awake during the night which was a rather big change for Talon. He thanked his lucky stars that he was used to it from having far too many different "jobs" that took place during the day and night.

Talon sat up and rolled his shoulders a bit in an attempt to work out the soreness that resulted from holding someone like that all night. He got up and layered back up to leave the tent. A part of him felt a pang of sadness as the warmth of Ezreal's body faded. He left the tent quietly and sat next to Ezreal who was tending to the campfire.

"You want breakfast?" Talon asked. Ezreal nodded furiously and Talon set about looking through the food they'd brought. He struck a match and re-lit the kindling he'd so carefully laid out the night before. There was obviously no eggs. Actually, there really weren't any breakfast foods at all, except for some cured bacon and oatmeal. Talon sighed inwardly, but he never liked breakfast that much anyway.

He poured some water from a jug into a small pot and placed it on the grill he'd placed over the kindling. It would take a bit for it to boil so he decided it was probably reasonable to make some bacon too. If he remembered correctly, Ezreal had peanut butter too, so they could have some bread with peanut butter as well. That would probably keep them going for a good while.

Talon could see Ezreal watching him in his peripheral vision. The blond was sitting with his knees up to his chest, blue eyes as wide as a pair of saucers as he watched Talon's every movement with the same fascination as a small child. His eyes flicked between Talon's hands and his face.

Talon could feel the same sense of impending doom as he watched Ezreal out of the corner of his eye. He started preparing the bacon as best he could with a frying pan. As the bacon started to really get going, the water started boiling as well and he quickly added some oatmeal to the water.

He set the frying pan down on the grill and quickly produced a small jar of brown sugar. He spooned a bit of sugar into the oatmeal while simultaneously making sure the bacon didn't catch fire or something. Ezreal continued to stare at him like he was performing some kind of incredible feat of magic. Talon was always extremely confused by Ezreal's disabling lack of life skills.

"Did you stare your mother down this aggressively when she would cook for you too?" Talon said. Ezreal sat up and laughed nervously.

"I've actually…not really met my mother…or my dad, actually," Ezreal said, "It's not a big deal though! My uncle was real good to me! I had a wonderful childhood!" He said, waving his hands in front of him as if trying to placate Talon, despite Talon's lack of an answer.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Talon said. He quickly did his best to make himself look extremely busy trying to make breakfast. Ezreal shook his head and put his chin on his knees, content to go back to watching Talon make breakfast. The food was mostly done so there wasn't really anything for Talon to do at this point. He took the pans off the grill and started to move the food to the little tins they'd been eating off of.

"It smells delicious," Ezreal mused. Without thinking too much of it, Talon took the spoonful of oatmeal he had and blew on it gently. To everyone's surprise, he then offered the spoon to Ezreal who leaned over and tentatively closed his lips around the spoon. Ezreal's eyes met Talon's and the assassin felt like his heart was melting from how disgustingly cute this was.

The two stared at each other in relative shock at the scene that was unfolding. Ezreal's face started to turn red as he realised the position he was in. Talon could also feel his face starting to get hot, but both of them were frozen in place, unsure of how to break the interaction. Ezreal practically jumped back, giggling anxiously like a schoolgirl. Talon retracted his hand slowly, trying to take in and process what had just happened.

Talon slowly offered Ezreal the tin of food and Ezreal very carefully took the tin from him. The two immediately turned their gazes down to the tins of food in their laps, eating quietly and slowly and neither ignoring each other nor engaging a discussion about what had just happened. They finished their food and cleaned up the tins quietly. They shuffled around each other awkwardly.

"Lead the way," Talon said, trying his best to sound like he was not even remotely flustered by the encounter. Ezreal nodded, slinging his smaller bag over his shoulder, and ran past Talon, grabbing the assassin's hand and dragging Talon out of the cave with him. Talon watched the back of Ezreal's head as he followed behind him. Talon didn't know why he liked this, having his hand held that was. He remembered the first time Ezreal had held his hand, although it was a half-hearted and not entirely consensual gesture on both parts. Looking back, he'd never have thought that such a small gesture would mean so much to him in the future, yet here he was. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all.


	13. Chapter 13

Talon truthfully had no idea at all of what to expect from this impromptu expedition with Ezreal. They had no defined goals, just an end which Ezreal hoped to achieve. As soon as they'd cleaned up from breakfast, they set out from their little base to look for a flufft of poros. Talon wondered briefly if Ezreal had even considered a plan for _capturing_ a poro once they found some. If his interactions with the blond were any indication, the explorer was just flying by the seat of his pants.

Once they began the trek into the Freljordian wilderness, they opted to enjoy a comfortable silence between them. Any noise might scare away any poros they found, and Talon wasn't really here for anything besides keeping Ezreal company anyway. He wouldn't know the first thing about stealing another city-state's wildlife and had nothing to really add to the adventure beside his ability to cook real food. Talon considered asking Ezreal if he even knew how to track a flufft of poros, but he felt like he already knew the answer to that as well. It was clear by the fact that the explorer hadn't looked at the ground once that he probably didn't even know what a poro's footprint looked like.

Ezreal continued to walk somewhat aimlessly in a direction. He would occasionally look back to make sure he hadn't lost Talon, but it was painfully obvious that he was completely lost for ideas on how to make his little expedition happen. Talon wasn't about to interrupt Ezreal's train of thought or lack thereof. He knew that the explorer probably wouldn't want to admit his folly and ask for help or suggest going home, so he figured he'd let him tire himself out and then they could go home.

Talon continued to watch the blond's back as they walked around the Freljordian tundra all day. Was this just what the blond _enjoyed_ doing? It wasn't even like sightseeing. They were just staring at an empty tundra all day. As the sun began to move back towards the horizon, Ezreal stretched and turned back to Talon.

"Hey, we should head back now, probably. We can look more tomorrow," Ezreal said. Talon nodded and let Ezreal pass by him and turn around. They walked back towards the cliffside that they'd made camp on. Talon kept in step with Ezreal on the way back towards their camp. Ezreal glanced at Talon out of the corner of his eye and reached over to the assassin. The blond grabbed Talon's arm and casually placed it around his shoulders. Talon didn't even look away from the horizon. He just left his arm around Ezreal's shoulders contently.

As the sky started to turn purple, they reached their camp. Ezreal shook some snow out of his hair. Talon rolled his shoulders a bit, working out the stiffness that the cold had instilled in him. He walked over to where he'd set up the campfire and lit it so that he could make dinner again. After they'd eaten, they curled up in the tent together for warmth. Ezreal fell asleep almost instantly, snuggled up against Talon.

Talon always had a difficult time relaxing outside of his home. Hell, he even had difficulty relaxing inside of his home. Still, Talon found the soft sound of Ezreal's breathing to be the most comforting and relaxing thing he'd ever heard. Something about being near the blond made him just inherently more relaxed than normal, which didn't _really_ make sense given that there were definitely places where their relationship would not be acceptable. Even Talon was constantly surprised by the ease with which Ezreal managed to get close to him. The explorer had sort of just waltzed into his life and taken a seat that Talon didn't even know existed. How long had they been doing whatever it was they were doing? A year now? Had it _really_ been a year since he started seeing Ezreal? He grimaced internally but he knew that 'seeing' was definitely the correct term for what they were doing, however uncomfortable it made him.

Talon started to drift off. He was perfectly welcoming to the idea of sleep. Thinking about life was just _so_ emotionally taxing and he was kind of over it, but he would probably be doing that a lot more for the rest of this trip. The blond had taken over his mind and now with nothing but the blond to think about, he was left contemplating the state of everything and how Ezreal was involved in it.

Talon's sleep was dreamless as always and he awoke when Ezreal shifted awake next to him. Talon watched Ezreal's back as the blond got ready for the day. The blond looked more poised and graceful now than Talon would have considered him in the year prior. Despite being an explorer, he wasn't very muscular. Talon wasn't complaining about that though, Ezreal's soft body was one of Talon's favourite things about him.

Talon also got up and started to ready himself for the day. Over the next few days, the two settled into a sort of routine. Despite the fact that they were on an expedition in the wilderness, their relationship had a slightly more domestic flair than it previously had. Talon took care of feeding both of them and Ezreal lead their completely fruitless efforts to find poros out on the tundra. Despite the obvious differences in personality and skills, they found themselves happily enjoying their new roles as a symbiotic entity.

Talon, especially, was surprised at how easy he found it to a quiet existence with Ezreal by his side. Having come from a reclusive and isolated life in Noxus, it was definitely different to have someone who was so invested in hanging around him, but he wasn't sure that he disliked it. He had to admit, having Ezreal around was definitely a nice bonus. He didn't want to admit how lonely he _might_ have been prior to having Ezreal hanging off his arm.

The hours began to turn into days and they'd still not even found the slightest trace of a flufft of poros. Talon had known from the outset that Ezreal had no idea what he was doing, but it was becoming urgent that they at the very least find a town to restock their supplies in. One could only pack and prepare for so much; it was becoming imperative that they find a real civilisation. Still, it seemed that there was no chance at all that Ezreal would just give up and head home. Perhaps he would have if Talon wasn't there, but there was no mention at all of restocking their supplies or going home.

It was the dawn of their seventh day in Freljord when Talon finally began to truly worry about whether or not they'd make it home alive. He'd begun rationing out their supplies more stringently to try and make the most of them, but even that was not going to be enough soon. Talon was making a small breakfast for the two of them when he turned to Ezreal somewhat abruptly.

"Ezreal, we need to go find civilisation soon," Talon said. Ezreal blinked at Talon for a moment but then shook his head.

"No! I know we'll find them soon," He said. Talon's countenance didn't break as he stared Ezreal down with disbelief, "I swear, I have a plan. We'll find them!" Ezreal's voice shook with desperation. He clearly didn't want to give up on his goals.

"We're running out of supplies. We at least need to restock," Talon said. Ezreal looked down at the ground. He shook his head again.

"No! We can't! We can't restock because I don't want Ashe to know we were here!" Ezreal said. Talon couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew Ezreal was stubborn, but he didn't think Ezreal would be so stubborn as to _die_ just to prove a point.

"Well, then what the hell are we supposed to do?" Talon said quietly, "We're going to die if we stay out here like this." Ezreal looked up at Talon. The boy's blue eyes were filled with sadness.

"Go back without me," Ezreal said. His voice was filled with pain, "It's not like it matters much to you anyway. I'll be fine without you." His voice shook, maybe from fear, maybe from sorrow. Talon locked eyes with Ezreal. He could feel Ezreal's sadness seep into his own heart.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Talon hissed. Ezreal averted his eyes, tears threatening to spill over onto his cheeks.

"You don't even like me! I don't matter to you! Just leave me here!" He said. Talon felt the sting of the boy's words in his chest. He grit his teeth angrily.

"What the _fuck_ are you on about? I've been living in a fucking _cave_ with you for the past week! Do you regularly go on trips with people you hate?" Talon said through his teeth. Ezreal sniffled, tears streaking down his cheeks.

"That's not what I mean!" Ezreal shouted, "You… you know what I mean! I like you a lot, Talon, and you don't even like me at all!" Ezreal stood up, wiping his eyes furiously. He turned to storm away but Talon stood up and grabbed his arm somewhat roughly, "What?!" Ezreal cried, not even turning to back to look at Talon.

"How can you say something like that?" Talon couldn't stop the hurt from being evident in his voice. Ezreal hung his head sadly, staying turned away from Talon.

"It's like you said… This is just about sex…" Ezreal's voice was shaking with sadness, "I know I agreed to it… I know this what I said I wanted…" The blond blubbered quietly, "I'm sorry…" Ezreal's words made Talon's heart hurt. His grip on the boy's arm relaxed a bit.

"Do you really think I don't like you?" Talon said. His voice was quiet and even. Ezreal didn't respond, he just continued to cry to himself, "For such a brilliant archaeologist, you're really fucking stupid," Talon said. Ezreal turned back to look at Talon with wide, teary eyes. Talon pulled his arm roughly. Ezreal stumbled towards Talon and fell against the taller man's chest. Talon caught him effortlessly with one arm, holding the blond flush against his body and used the other hand to gently tilt Ezreal's chin up.

Talon leaned down and kissed Ezreal. He felt the explorer's knees give out under him and Talon gripped Ezreal tighter, supporting the blond as best as he could. Ezreal's hands gripped Talon's jacket as he kissed the assassin. After a moment, they broke the kiss. Talon stared down into Ezreal's eyes quietly.

"I want to do things with you that I've never wanted to do before," Talon said quietly, "And if you fucking die here I can't do those things." Ezreal's quiet sniffling became full-fledged bawling and he buried his face in Talon's chest. Talon was completely lost on how to deal with the wailing twenty-three-year-old. He just held the explorer to his chest tightly as he continued to cry. After a bit, Ezreal settled down into just sniffling again.

"You're such a big jerk, sometimes," Ezreal said. He finally began to support his body weight again and backed up from Talon quietly. Talon found himself missing the feeling of the explorer's body against his own, but let the boy go without a fight, "I think we're near an Avarosan settlement…" He said quietly, wiping his eyes and nose some more, "Let's go there, for now."

Talon almost breathed a sigh of relief as Ezreal relented. The blond kind of stood awkwardly for a moment before he bounced one step forward and grabbed the front of Talon's jacket. He pulled Talon down just a bit and planted a chaste kiss on the assassin's lips. There wasn't even time for Talon to kiss him back before he pulled back and moved to start packing their things up as best he could. Talon followed behind him and leaned down to return the kiss to Ezreal's temple.

They managed to get their things packed up rather quickly, largely due to the fact that they had fewer things to pack up than they'd started with. Ezreal shifted his bag around on his shoulders, trying to get it to a comfortable position. Talon had also packed up, but since he carried a magical bag, he had much less weight to actually carry with him.

"That's everything, I think," Ezreal said. Talon nodded, doing one more visual sweep over the ground to make sure they hadn't dropped anything, "We should go so we don't have to travel at night."

"Lead the way," Talon said, motioning towards the entrance of the cave. As they left the cave, Ezreal moved a little closer to Talon. The assassin glanced down at him but didn't push him away or move. They trekked through the snow quietly. There wasn't much to say and talking would only slow them down. Talon could only hope that Ezreal knew the location of this settlement better than he knew how to find a poro.

The sky had turned purple when they approached a camp. The guards filed over to inspect the visitors. Luckily, Ezreal was a friendly face pretty much everywhere on Runeterra and the guards were more than willing to help accommodate him. The guards took them to a small military dorm and set them up in rooms.

"Once you've settled in, please come find us," One of the guards said. Ezreal nodded and the guards left them to their own devices. Ezreal picked up his stuff off the ground of the room he'd initially been placed in and walked next door to Talon's room.

"I hope you don't mind," Ezreal said and placed his things back down on the floor of Talon's room. Talon shrugged and took his jacket off. Being indoors was something he'd never thought he'd miss.

" _I_ don't mind, but _Ashe_ might mind," Talon said sardonically. Ezreal shrugged and sat down on the bed next to Talon, "Which reminds me, I suspect that _my_ presence will not be as welcome as yours."

"We won't be here long," Ezreal said and rested his head on Talon's shoulder. Talon didn't move the boy, "We should go find the guards as they asked," He sighed. Talon nodded and they stood up to go find the guards. Once they found them, the guards brought them to a different building.

"Your Highness, Ezreal Lymere of Piltover and Talon du Couteau of Noxus have arrived today," The guards addressed Ashe as they entered the throne room. The two knelt down in reverence of their queen. Ezreal and Talon did the same.

"At ease." Ashe released them from their bow and they stood up to face her, "Ezreal, what business do you and Talon have in Freljord?" She asked. Ezreal shuffled around the question a bit, not really wanting to admit his business.

"I wanted to study poros a bit, Your Highness," Ezreal said. Ashe nodded slowly but her gaze turned cold as she turned to Talon.

"That is fine, but what business does _Talon_ have here?" She said. Talon was unfazed by the harsh tone she took with his name.

"He is here to assist me," Ezreal responded. Tryndamere reached over and gently patted Ashe's hand.

"There's nothing to worry about," Tryndamere said, "If there was, I suspect it would already have come to pass." This didn't seem to reassure Ashe in any way. Her countenance was cool, but Ezreal could tell that she was concerned.

"How long do you plan on staying?" She asked. Her eyes never left Talon, searching for any hint of suspicious behaviour in the assassin.

"We are already leaving, Your Highness. We just needed to restock our supplies," Ezreal said. Ashe nodded slowly.

"Very well. I will have my men take you to the border at dawn tomorrow," She said. Ezreal nodded and bowed his head. Talon mirrored the blond's movements silently, "You're dismissed."

"Thank you very much, Your Highness," Ezreal said. The guards came to escort them out of the throne room again and Ezreal found himself sticking close to Talon's side. The two entered their room and Ezreal immediately threw himself onto the bed to relax.

"I told you she wouldn't be happy to see me," Talon said. He undid the tie holding his hair back in a ponytail. Ezreal scoffed, "You're probably the only person on Runeterra that actually wants to see me."

"That's probably not true," Ezreal said. Talon shrugged and sat down at the end of the bed.

"It doesn't bother me," He said, "It would be bizarre if people were happy that I showed up to kill them." Ezreal giggled a bit and put his arms out towards Talon.

"Point taken. Now cuddle me," He said. Talon was definitely still new to cuddling and affection in general, but he knew that he wasn't going to be able to avoid being affectionate to the blond now. Talon moved over to where Ezreal was laying and laid down next to him. Without any hesitation, Ezreal rolled over on top of Talon and laid his head on the assassin's chest.

"I thought you wanted _me_ to cuddle _you_ ," Talon said. Ezreal hummed and lifted his head a bit to look Talon in the eye.

"I know cuddling is new and weird to you, so I'm cuddling you instead," Ezreal mumbled contentedly. Talon wasn't about to complain. Ezreal might never complain about his cuddling, but he knew that he wasn't very good at it.

Talon put his arms around Ezreal's shoulders and twirled a locked of the boy's hair around his finger absently. Ezreal moaned softly and leaned into the assassin's touch. Talon scoffed and clicked his tongue with disapproval.

"Have you no shame?" Talon said with a soft tone of amusement in his voice. Ezreal whined loudly enough that Talon could almost hear his pout.

"It's like you said, old man, I have a healthy adolescent sex drive," Ezreal retorted, giggling as he did. Talon moved his free hand and flicked Ezreal on the forehead.

"We're guests in another nation's barracks right now," Talon said. Ezreal grumbled a bit but quickly settled down when Talon went back to playing with his hair. Talon knew there was a conversation to be had, but just like sex, this was neither the time nor place. He wasn't complaining; it gave him more time to think about what he had to say.


	14. Chapter 14

Ezreal had no trouble waking up at all. As he shifted around, waking himself up, he could feel Talon stir next to him. The assassin's eyes were cloudy with sleepiness as he dragged himself out of bed. It made sense. Assassin's moved under the cover of night. Even if he'd been following a different schedule for the past week, his body would have a difficult time adjusting to the new schedule.

Talon dressed slowly and deliberately. Ezreal watched him quietly. He was seeing all different sides of Talon on this trip, a side that enjoyed a quiet domestic life, a side that was a proper noble and diplomat. He wondered what other sides of Talon there were that he hadn't seen yet. Talon grimaced as he put the winter jacket he'd brought with him on. Ezreal could tell he hated how bulky and restrictive the garment was.

"We should head out if you're done gawking." Talon's voice cut through Ezreal's reverie. Ezreal jumped a little, feeling his cheeks get hot as he tried to avert his eyes from Talon. He shuffled out the door, trying to calm his racing heart as he did. The two made their way out of the dorm and out to where the Avarosan soldiers were waiting for them.

"We're taking you to the Noxian border. We've arranged for an escort back to Noxus Prime from there," One of the soldiers said, "You know how to ride a horse, right?" The soldier pointed to the horses they were preparing. Talon made an affirmative noise and Ezreal nodded quietly.

"Oh, thank goodness!" A deep jolly voice cut through the air. Talon and Ezreal both turned towards the voice and found Braum walking towards them. There was a bounce in the massive man's step that seemed so out of place, no matter how many times Ezreal had seen him. A few poros followed behind Braum and one sat perched on his shoulder as well, "Braum thought he had missed you, little explorer!" Braum laughed a big belly laugh and clapped Ezreal on the shoulder with a gentleness that Ezreal still thought was one of the true wonders of Runeterra.

"Oh? Why?" Ezreal said. Braum grinned and offered his arm out to Ezreal. The poro on his shoulder carefully bounded down his arm onto Ezreal's shoulder. Ezreal's face lit up for a moment, but then turned to one of confusion, "Wait, why are you giving me a poro?" Braum leaned down close enough that Ezreal could feel his big handlebar moustache tickling his cheek.

"Braum knows why you were here, little explorer. Consider it a gift from Braum," He said and pushed a small bag of supplies into Ezreal's arms. He leaned back up to his full height, towering over Ezreal. Ezreal suddenly felt embarrassed. He didn't know how Braum knew what his intentions were, but he wondered if Ashe was more aware of his intentions than she let on as well. Braum ruffled Ezreal's hair and grinned down at him before turning to leave, casting a short wave over his shoulder. Ezreal put the bag of supplies in his backpack and let his new poro companion decide whether it wanted to sit on his shoulder or ride in his backpack.

As they mounted their respective horses, Ezreal found himself wishing he could ride with Talon like all those romantic images in the movies and stuff. He knew Talon wouldn't approve of asking, though, so he settled himself onto his horse and followed behind the guard that was in front of them. As they moved out into the open tundra, the group picked up speed into a gallop. Ezreal was amazed, yet again, by the ease with which Talon adjusted to the speed. The more Ezreal saw of Talon the more he realised that Talon had all sorts of different training. He truly was a noble. The group slowed down to a slow trot to give the horses a break as they continued across the frozen ground.

It was very apparent that the guards had been instructed to keep a close eye on them as there was a guard on each side of them, something Ezreal had never personally experienced. He wondered if this was just how Noxians were treated everywhere and one look at Talon's nonchalant expression told him that it probably was. Not only did Talon look calm and completely in his element with such suspicion being cast upon him, but he also looked ready to fight if he had to and confident that he could easily take the four guards that were escorting them to the border.

As Ezreal continued to stare at Talon, he thought back to the conversation they'd had the day before. This was obviously not the time or the place to bring up what had been said, but he couldn't help but contemplate the situation deeply. Talon hadn't said anything, but Ezreal hadn't forgotten the small amount of affection he'd received. Talon never would have agreed to even cuddle at all, let alone reciprocated the affectionate feeling, until recently. Ezreal had no idea what it meant. If it was anyone else, he'd assume it meant Talon liked him a lot, but the stoic assassin was so hard to read and the things that Ezreal knew were meaningful to Talon were far more focused on pragmatism than sentimentality.

Talon's eyes flicked over to Ezreal and the assassin raised an eyebrow at the boy. Ezreal quickly averted his gaze, embarrassed to be caught staring, not that that was anything new. He knew that they had to talk about what had happened, whether or not they really wanted to. He knew Talon meant what he'd said. The assassin had never lied to him and there was no reason to believe that he'd start now. What needed to be figured out was what all those words meant to the assassin. What _were_ the things he wanted to do?

Talon kept his eyes pointed forward for the most part. The assassin probably wanted to remain quiet and unassuming to keep out of trouble with the guards. The guards continued to eye Talon suspiciously as they rode through the tundra. Ezreal felt a little bad knowing that Talon was under such scrutiny because of him, but Talon didn't seem even remotely fazed by the nasty looks he was getting from the guards.

As Ezreal inspected Talon's equestrianism it became clear that the man was well trained in the sport. Ezreal would never have guessed the assassin had this skill, but as a noble _and_ a military child, it was only natural that he'd been trained at some point. Still, Ezreal felt a tad inadequate watching the poise that Talon had on horseback, even at the speed with which they were travelling.

There was no way they would reach the border by nightfall. Ezreal knew as much and when the guards called to stop, he slowed his horse to stop. Talon stopped next to Ezreal and rolled his shoulders out. A small camp set up later and they were more than prepared to sleep. The guards were quietly discussing the shifts required to keep watch over their guests and Ezreal sat down next to Talon with some food that had been produced. Ezreal quietly played with his new furry friend, trying to get to know the little creature by hand-feeding it as he sat next to Talon.

"Do you get this kind of suspicion everywhere you go?" Ezreal said, looking up at Talon. The assassin glanced at him sideways and shrugged.

"Pretty much." Talon ate quietly. Ezreal had a lot of questions, but he knew pretty well that he should keep them to himself for now. Giving the guards more reason to suspect that Talon was up to no good was a terrible idea, especially since such suspicion would also draw that kind of attention to Ezreal as well since they were together.

Ezreal knew that Talon wouldn't reject his affections, but that the man was wary of the guards. Not without reason, there were definitely places on Runeterra where homosexuality was considered worthy of capital punishment, even the death penalty. Ezreal wasn't really sure what the laws were like in Freljord. It was even more confusing with the different tribes. So, Talon's hesitation was probably more than warranted.

After they ate, they were able to retire into the tent they'd set up. It was much colder out on the open tundra than it was inside the cave with nothing to protect them from the wind chill, but they still retired to separate sleeping bags instead of combining the two sleeping bags into one. Ezreal felt distinctly strange about sharing a space with Talon but not actually _sharing_ the space with him. Still, he fell asleep just as quickly as always.

When Ezreal awoke, he blinked away the sleepiness a bit but remembered that he'd have to wake Talon since they weren't sleeping together. The assassin shot up to a sitting position as soon as Ezreal shifted in his sleeping bag. Talon looked around quickly, before realising the movement had just been Ezreal and relaxing a bit.

They continued on their journey. It was a much different journey when actively thinking about the transportation they were utilising. Talon didn't seem to be thinking too much about their journey, but Ezreal had to be pretty actively aware of what he was doing on horseback. It took them a few days to get back to the border, even on horseback, but they were more than able to make the trek, flanked by the Avarosan soldiers the whole way.

As they approached the Noxian border, Ezreal wondered who was going to meet them at the border to take them back to Noxus Prime. He didn't even know where the border was in relationship to them. Would they arrive in the merchants' bay from where they'd left? Ezreal wondered if Talon even knew where they were at this point.

After a long day of travel, a sea of carts came into view on the horizon. The merchants' bay was bustling just like they'd left it. As soon as the merchants' bay came into clear view, the soldiers picked up speed into a gallop. Talon followed suit and Ezreal fumbled trying to keep up as best he could with the skilled riders beside him.

As they rode into the merchants' bay, they were immediately greeted by Katarina and Darius who were standing the merchants' bay waiting for them. Talon dismounted his horse gracefully and walked over to Ezreal's horse. Ezreal swung his leg over the side of the horse and went to slide off the saddle, but he was both tired from the journey and also wildly off-balance from days of riding on horseback. He slid off the saddle clumsily and landed in Talon's arms. The assassin caught him effortlessly and placed him on the ground next to the horse.

The soldiers came to collect the horses, looking curiously at Talon as they did. Talon didn't even acknowledge the soldiers and made his way over to where Katarina was waiting for them. Ezreal tried to keep up with the assassin's strides. Katarina giggled watching Ezreal stumble behind Talon.

"Gods, Talon," Katarina said, amusement evident in her voice, "Who'd have thought the famed assassin, Talon du Couteau, would get caught in Freljord having a vacation with his little boyfriend?" She said with a grin that was leagues too wide for what she was saying.

"Oh, fuck off," Talon said. A flick of his wrist sent a small pin flying past her head. Katarina shook her head and clapped her hands together.

"No can do! Ashe sent me here to collect you and bring you back to Noxus Prime," She said, smiling happily, "Ezreal can kinda just go, though." She waved her hand dismissively. Ezreal pouted and latched himself onto Talon's arm. Talon tensed for a second but didn't remove Ezreal or move away from him, "Or… I guess he's coming with us," She said. Her eyes were laughing as she slowly turned away from the two, "Come now. I have places to go, people to kill."

Talon glanced down at Ezreal who looked back up at him with big puppy dog eyes. Talon pulled his arm away from Ezreal and put it around the blond's shoulders. They followed behind Katarina as they moved through the merchants' bay to the military portals. As they approached, the guards at the portals moved to let them through.

"Remember to relax your muscles and breathe deeply boys," Katarina sang as she stepped through the portal. Ezreal released Talon's arm and the assassin stepped through the portal as well. Ezreal followed as quickly as he could. He rematerialised in Noxus Prime on the military portal platform. Talon was waiting for him and he quickly reattached himself to Talon's arm.

"Well, you can fuck off now, right?" Talon said. Ezreal could hear the venom in Talon's voice as he spoke to his sister. Katarina laughed.

"Yes, yes. I'll leave you lovebirds to fucking now. Just, do it inside, all right?" She said as she walked away, waving over her shoulder. Katarina disappeared into the streets of Noxus Prime and Ezreal looked up at Talon again. The assassin carefully removed his arm from the blond and started peeling off the layers of jackets and clothing that he'd been wearing and stuffing them into his bag. Talon pulled a cloak out of his bag and glanced at it and then at Ezreal before throwing the garment at Ezreal.

"Here, you can lift this cloak too," Talon said sardonically. Ezreal felt his face get hot as he wrapped the cloak around his shoulders and fastened it with his military citizenship pin. Talon rolled his shoulders out a bit and started walking down the streets of Noxus Prime towards his house with Ezreal in tow, "You're staying the night, right?" Talon looked back at Ezreal. Ezreal nodded slowly. This wasn't the first time they'd walked through the streets of Noxus Prime with Ezreal protectively clad in one of Talon's cloaks. Ezreal watched Talon's back as they made their way through the city.

It was well into the night when they reached the small house that Talon owned. Ezreal could feel himself start to almost vibrate in excitement as Talon unlocked the door. The sparsely furnished living room was a welcome sight after living in a tent for more than a week. Ezreal immediately began to peel layers of clothing off and drop them on the floor. His poro immediately curled itself up in the pile of clothing. Talon turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Someone's very comfortable," Talon said, staring at the pile of clothes on the floor for a moment, before turning and walking further into the house, "I'm gonna shower then make dinner, yeah?" He said, not waiting for an answer as he closed the door. Ezreal picked up the poro and put him on the floor then picked his clothes up off the floor and shoved them messily into his bag. He took out some blankets and used them to make a makeshift pet bed for his poro on the floor and borrowed a few saucers to put the food Braum had left him with on and a little dish of water as well. He set his backpack by the door and relaxed onto the couch quietly, spacing out entirely. After some amount of time, a towel landed on his head.

"Oh, thanks," Ezreal smiled up at Talon, "A shower sounds lovely. Do you have a razor I can borrow?" Talon raised an eyebrow but nodded slowly.

"Just use the one in the shower…If you don't mind it being mine," Talon said as he started to work on making dinner. Ezreal got up and went into the bathroom to shower. As he stepped under the stream of warm water, he was reminded that he still had to have a rather serious discussion with Talon. He washed his body quickly, but carefully. He picked up the razor that was on the soap dish.

Ezreal had never been one to grow much facial hair, it'd been pretty convenient for someone who was on the move so often. He had a mild appreciation for Talon's dedication to staying clean-shaven as well. He didn't travel with others often, but he'd never seen someone actually take a shave stick with them before going with Talon. He'd not noticed it on their first expedition, but it only really made sense that the assassin was keeping up with it.

Still, he quickly ran the razor over his face. More pressing than his facial hair was… other hair on his body. He waffled around the issue for a moment in his head before he settled on just using the razor despite it not being his own. Talon had said to use it and he could just replace it anyway. He knew he was just trying as hard as he could to ease his own anxiety about the impending conversation and it wasn't working at all.

He finished up his grooming and got out of the shower. He wrapped the towel Talon had given him around his shoulders. A pair of boxers and a t-shirt had been left on the counter for him. He slipped the clothes on as best he could. The boxers hung loosely off his hips, barely staying on his smaller frame. The shirt hung down his thighs loosely and the hem of the boxers peeked out from under the shirt. He caught a glance of himself in the mirror and could see himself blushing as it sank in that he was dressed in Talon's clothes.

Ezreal shuffled out back into the living room all the while trying to calm his racing heart. Talon was still cooking when Ezreal sat down on the couch. Talon's eyes flicked over for a moment before returning to their task.

"Sorry, there wasn't a whole lot of options," Talon said as he finished up cooking. Ezreal grinned as a plate of food was set in front of him. He wasted no time at all beginning to inhale the food. Talon sat next to him and began to eat as well, though in a much more poised manner. Ezreal was done with his food in a matter of minutes and sat watching Talon eat. Talon looked at Ezreal's empty plate with a sort of smug disgust at how quickly the blond ate. Ezreal sat drowning in his own anxiety in anticipation of what he was going to say when Talon finished eating.

"What are the things you said you wanted to do with me?" Ezreal immediately covered his mouth, having meant to wait for Talon to finish eating. The assassin's countenance didn't even crack a little and he shrugged apathetically.

"I suppose they'd be waxing romantic," Talon said, carefully choosing his words and probably being purposefully a bit vague. Ezreal nodded slowly, trying to urge Talon to keep talking, "What else do you want me to say?"

"What _kind_ of waxing romantic things?" Ezreal said. Talon grimaced, clearly trying to avoid the question as best he could. Ezreal leaned in closer, looking up at Talon, batting his eyelashes and doing his best to look adorable.

"I…" Talon grumbled, clearly frustrated. Ezreal continued to stare at him, silently prodding him forward to answer, "I wanted to try being in a relationship… with you… if you wanted," Talon muttered, wiping his nose with his finger, even though his nose wasn't running. Ezreal threw his arms around the assassin and hugged him tightly.

"Yes! Of course, yes! I want to!" Ezreal said. His grin was so wide it could basically be heard. Talon tentatively hugged the blond back. He was still every bit as unused to affection as he was before, but he was clearly trying his best.

Talon awkwardly patted Ezreal on the back and Ezreal released him. Ezreal could feel himself smiling like a complete moron but he didn't want to stop nor would he even make the slightest of efforts. Talon didn't emote nearly as strongly as Ezreal, but he definitely looked relieved to have had this talk go so smoothly.

"So… is that… all?" Talon didn't sound confused, but he did sound cautious. Ezreal nodded and scooted over to snuggle up against Talon's shoulder happily.

"Yep! I'm your boyfriend now!" Ezreal's heart fluttered up into his skull as he said the word 'boyfriend', "And you're my boyfriend!" Ezreal once again felt his heart do a somersault as the 'boyfriend' word left his mouth again. Ezreal latched onto Talon's arm and looked up at the assassin, still grinning so hard that it was starting to hurt. As soon as they locked eyes, Ezreal jumped up and captured Talon's lips aggressively. Talon leaned back and grabbed Ezreal's wrist. He pulled the blond into his lap.

Ezreal draped his arms over Talon's shoulders lazily. Talon's hands immediately found their way to Ezreal's ass. The assassin tenderly gripped the blond's rear. Ezreal could feel Talon's body heat through the thin fabric of the pair of boxer's he'd been so graciously lent. Talon nibbled on Ezreal's bottom lip lightly. The blond whimpered, pressing his body against the assassin's torso. Talon gently tugged on the boxers Ezreal was wearing and they slid down the boy's thighs. Ezreal shivered as the cool air touched his skin. Talon's fingers softly kneaded the blond's soft skin.

"Talon…" Ezreal's voice was breathy and soft. He shifted in the assassin's lap. His body was starting to respond to the affection he was receiving. Each little touch sent little waves of arousal through his body. Talon's hands moved from his rear to his back. The assassin massaged the boy's back. The affection had Ezreal squirming around in arousal. He was already hard and he could see his erection showing in his peripheral vision despite the long t-shirt he was wearing.

Talon wrapped one arm around Ezreal waist and grabbed the back of the boy's head with his other hand. He very carefully tilted Ezreal's head back, exposing the explorer's neck. The assassin softly kissed the explorer's neck moving down the blond's body to his collarbone. Ezreal whimpered as Talon continued to lavish affection onto his body. The sweet feeling of Talon's lips on his skin left him shivering with arousal.

Slowly, Talon transitioned from soft kisses to gently suckling and nibbling at Ezreal's skin. Ezreal's fingers twisted themselves into Talon's shirt, gripping the fabric like a lifeline as the assassin continued to tease him slowly. Talon moved the arm around Ezreal's waist down to the blond's thigh. His hand slipped under the hem of the t-shirt and stroked the boy's inner thigh. Ezreal squirmed around in Talon's lap as Talon's fingers climbed closer and closer to his crotch. Soft moans escaped his mouth as Talon ran a finger up the underside of his cock.

"H-Hey," Ezreal muttered, "That's cheating…" Talon lightly stroked Ezreal's erection, continuing to suck and nibble on his neck as well. Ezreal's hips twitched as Talon stimulated him. His moans were getting louder as he was teased.

"You don't have to hold back. No one can hear you," Talon said. Talon rubbed circles over Ezreal's urethra with his thumb, slicking the precum dripping out of the blond's cock over the organ. Ezreal's breath was coming in short gasps as Talon continued to tease him. Ezreal whimpered, bucking his hips up into Talon's hand. Talon held the blond's head in place as he continued to toy with him gently. Ezreal breathing became heavier as Talon played with his body. A soft, pleased sigh rumbled through Talon's chest. The assassin moved from the blond's neck down his shoulder, to his collarbone. Ezreal twitched and squirmed as Talon's fingers dexterously worked the blond's cock.

"Talon…" Ezreal moaned, "Mm, it's so good." He let his eyes slip closed as he allowed himself to drown in the assassin's touch. Talon pumped his cock, holding him still by the back of his head as he pleasured the blond. Ezreal trembled with arousal as Talon played with his body. Soft, breathy moans escaped his lips as his hips twitched against Talon's movements. Talon's fingers skillfully worked Ezreal's body sending waves of pleasure through his body.

"You were waiting for this. Weren't you?" Talon said softly. The assassin released Ezreal's head so he could lightly scrape his fingernails against the skin at the back of Ezreal's neck. Ezreal could feel his heart racing as Talon's fingers explored his skin. The rough skin of Talon's fingers provided a pleasing sensation on the soft skin. Ezreal squirmed in Talon's lap as the assassin caressed the nape of his neck.

"I was…" Ezreal moaned, "Ever since we left Freljord." Every little touch from Talon was like a tiny flame on his skin, setting his heart and mind alight. Ezreal shivered as Talon's fingers moved under the fabric of his borrowed shirt, the contact was gentle, loving, reverent as the assassin's fingers pored over every inch of his body.

"Tell me what you want," Talon said. His golden eyes sparkled as they searched Ezreal's blue ones for an unconscious answer. Ezreal's body burned with desire as the Noxian stimulated his cock.

"I want you to make love to me," Ezreal whispered. His heartbeat sped up even more. Ezreal felt like the organ might physically jump out of his chest and up through his throat. He felt Talon hesitate and he was about to try and backtrack his statement when the brunette pulled his hips forward and held the blond tightly against his body. Without a word, the assassin kissed Ezreal deeply in a way that Ezreal was not used to receiving from the Noxian.

Talon cupped Ezreal's face with his hands. His lips moulded to Ezreal's with a gentleness that hadn't been very present in their previous encounters. A soft feeling of warmth came with this kiss. It wasn't urgent or demanding, yet it commanded Ezreal's entire psyche. Ezreal let his hands hang lazily around Talon's neck. His fingers played with Talon's long hair as they had so many times before, but like many things, it was different this time. The explorer couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the encounter had a certain je ne sais quoi.

Talon's tongue cautiously swiped across Ezreal's lips, patiently and eagerly waiting for the blond's lips to part ever so slightly before slipping between them. The assassin probed Ezreal's mouth slowly, carefully, in a way that felt almost virginal by comparison to how he normally ravished the explorer's mouth. Ezreal let the Noxian explorer his mouth for a moment before gently pushing back. To his surprise, Talon allowed Ezreal's tongue into his mouth without any real fight. The assassin's tongue swirled around Ezreal's as the blond mapped out every crevice in Talon's mouth slowly.

They sat together, enthralled in their own little pocket universe of pleasure as they continued to kiss slowly and gently. Ezreal felt warm all over as Talon continued to hold him close and kiss him lovingly. After a moment, they broke for air. Ezreal rested his forehead against Talon's, closing his eyes to process all of the things that had happened and were happening. Talon stroked Ezreal's cheek lovingly with his thumb.

"Is this real?" Ezreal thought aloud, "Am I dreaming?" Ezreal unconsciously gripped Talon's shirt as he spoke. His voice shook just a little, betraying how nervous he felt, "Am I going to have to wake up from this dream?" Ezreal bit his lip nervously.

"This is reality, Ezreal," Talon said. The disbelief was apparent in his voice as he spoke, " _Our_ reality," He said, tracing the edge of Ezreal's jaw with his fingertips. The assassin's fingers moved over Ezreal's lips, taking in the shape of blond's mouth as he smiled softly. Talon had never been — and likely would never be — the most sentimental person, but the assassin's words struck deep into Ezreal's heart. The words made his heart flutter and his cock twitch. He shuddered and opened his eyes slowly, looking deep into Talon's eyes with a desperate, pleading look.

"Talon, show me how much you like me," Ezreal said, "Make love to me, _please_ ," His voice was airy and fragile as he begged the assassin for the sexual affection he craved. Talon let out a pleased hum and gently cradled the blond in his arms as he laid him down on his back on the couch. Talon slipped his shirt off and let it fall on the floor next to the couch. Ezreal could feel himself begin to salivate as he looked up at Talon's lean, but defined figure. He reached up and ran his palms over Talon's chest and down over the man's abs. The blond subconsciously licked his lips as his hand went up Talon's arms and onto his back, learning the contour of every muscle by heart.

"Scratch me," Talon whispered as Ezreal's hands traced the muscles of his back. Ezreal complied, lightly dragging his nails across Talon's skin just as the assassin had done to him. Talon let out a soft gasp and leaned down to kiss Ezreal. Ezreal could feel Talon's erection through the loose cotton pants Talon was wearing. The blond whimpered leaning back into the pillows on the couch. Talon reached down with one hand and pulled his cock out of his fly, "Did you want to do it here or the bedroom?" Talon said.

"Here," Ezreal said, "I can't wait…" Talon leaned back on his heels and reached over to the coffee table to grab a bottle of lube.

"I had a feeling grabbing this after I showered was in my best interest," He said sardonically. Ezreal looked away, embarrassed. He heard the sound of the cap opening and glanced over, bashfully. Talon stared down at him with a smirk. The man's fingers were coated with the slippery liquid. Gently, almost delicately, Talon pushed a finger into Ezreal. It had been a while, so there was some resistance from Ezreal's body. The assassin moved his finger around, trying to loosen the blond up just a little. Ezreal whined impatiently and Talon shushed him, "Calm the fuck down. I don't want to hurt you." Talon carefully added a second finger. He scissored his fingers apart, doing his best to stretch Ezreal out so the blond wouldn't feel too much pain. Ezreal moaned softly, arching his back into Talon's touch and bearing down on the assassin's fingers.

"I want you so bad," Ezreal moaned. The blond bucked his hips against Talon's hand, seeking more of the brunette's touch. There was a lascivious spark in Talon's eyes as he massaged Ezreal's prostate. The blond twitched and spasmed, little breathy moans escaping his lips as Talon fingered him. Ezreal's vision was blurring in and out of focus as Talon continued to pump his fingers in and out of Ezreal. The explorer couldn't contain his voice as the assassin pushed a third finger into him, "You're so mean… making me wait…" Ezreal's mouth hung slightly open as Talon continued to stretch his anus out. The explorer's hand absently stroked his own cock. The organ dripped precum onto his stomach as he masturbated in time with Talon's fingers.

Satisfied with his work, Talon pulled his fingers out of Ezreal. The blond whined needily, pouting. His body felt empty without Talon inside it in some way. He wasn't paying too much attention until Talon very gently pressed into him. Ezreal grimaced at the flash of pain that shot through his body. The explorer's body resisted the intrusion at first but loosened up very quickly. Talon put his hands on either side of Ezreal's head. The assassin leaned down and kissed the blond tenderly. Slowly, Talon started to move his hips.

The sex was markedly different than any sex they'd had prior. Ezreal was used to the wild, aggressive, feverish encounters he'd come to associate with Talon. This was unlike any experience the explorer had had with the assassin. The movements were slow, deliberate, and innocent. Talon kept Ezreal locked in a sweet, almost chaste kiss as he pumped into the explorer.

Talon broke away from the kiss to gaze down into Ezreal's eyes. As Ezreal stared up at Talon, he realised that the assassin's eyes were full of reverence and adoration. Ezreal could feel himself blushing bashfully as Talon stared down at him. He wasn't used to this kind of emotional affection during sex with the Noxian.

"You are so beautiful." The words were barely a whisper. Ezreal's breath caught in his throat. Talon looked embarrassed, clearly unused to giving verbal affection.

"I love you too," Ezreal said. He reached up and touched Talon's cheek tentatively. Talon tensed at first but leaned into the blond's touch. Ezreal lightly stroked Talon's cheek, smiling up at the assassin. The soft, gentle friction inside him sent a sweet, pleasant feeling through his body. Talon leaned back down and capture Ezreal's lips again. Every thrust pressed up against Ezreal's prostate. Little squeals of pleasure left Ezreal's mouth with each stroke.

Ezreal's lips were pliable and soft as he kissed Talon lovingly. The explorer's tongue danced with Talon's. The assassin's kiss was tender and unlike the usual hungry making out they usually engaged in. The explorer enjoyed the gentle kisses Talon was giving him. His heart pounded in his chest as the assassin lavished affection on his lips. The taste of Talon's mouth was intoxicating, leaving Ezreal's heart fluttering into his throat as the brunette humped him slowly.

Talon broke away from Ezreal. The explorer let out a quiet whine, looking deep into Talon's golden eyes. The Noxian's eyes were clouded with indiscernible emotions. Ezreal couldn't parse what must have been going through the assassin's mind as he met the man's gaze. Talon leaned back down and delicately kissed Ezreal's neck. The blond squirmed under Talon's touch as the taller man kissed and licked the soft flesh of the explorer's neck. A splash of precum dripped down his stomach. Each thrust hit his prostate sending pleasure radiating through his body.

Talon moved back to kissing Ezreal's lips. The assassin's kiss was sweet and tame, modest even, as one hand slowly explored Ezreal's body. The long fingers traced over the shape of Ezreal's rib cage and down to the blond's hips. The assassin's hand found its way back up to Ezreal's shoulders and up to his hair. Talon buried his fingers in the thick blond hair, caressing the explorer's face with his thumb as his fingers played with the silky locks.

Ezreal's mind was consumed by the emotional ecstasy from the love that Talon was showing him. There was no mistaking the change in the way that the assassin was treating him. Talon was definitely not the romantic or sentimental type, but Ezreal could hear the unspoken words in the softhearted touch. The explorer ran his fingers through Talon's hair lovingly, sifting the long brown strands through his fingers.

Ezreal let his fingers drift across the assassin's muscular frame. Ezreal's fingers followed the curvature of Talon's deltoids. The Noxian's body looked and felt exactly as Ezreal would have thought of someone of that occupation. Talon shivered as Ezreal touched him, but he did not reject the affection. The assassin moaned softly against Ezreal's skin. The feeling of Talon's breath on his skin left Ezreal writhing with pleasure beneath the assassin.

"Love… you… " Ezreal moaned, arching his back into Talon's touch. Each stroke began to build up a little pressure in his lower abdomen, like a spring coiled inside his body. Talon recaptured Ezreal's lips. The vibration of their voices resonated through their bodies, uniting them in a way that they hadn't previously experienced. Ezreal wrapped his arms around Talon's neck, pulling the man closer still. The tense feeling in his abdomen was coming to an apex, "Talon… I'm cum — " He didn't even make it through the word before he dissolved into whimpery, soft moaning. His mind exploded with vibrant, colourful emotions. He clutched Talon as the orgasm radiated through his body.

Ezreal was only vaguely aware of the guttural moan that Talon let out when he came. The blond looked up at the assassin through the mess of sweaty hair in his eyes. As they locked eyes, Ezreal felt overwhelmed with emotion. He sniffled, his lip trembling as he started to tear up. A look of concern immediately crossed Talon's features.

"No, no, I'm okay," Ezreal said softly, wiping the tears from his eyes and smiling brightly, "I just feel so happy…" The explorer cupped Talon's face with his hands and pulled the assassin in for a soft kiss, "I'm so, _so_ happy right now… I can't help it…" Talon rested his forehead against Ezreal's, the smallest of smiles tugged at the corner of his lips.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen," Talon murmured, closing his eyes, "Thank you for being in my life."


End file.
